Jerry Santbergen

Moses and Pauline at Jerry's Opening at Jack Pollack Gallery
by John Krash Radcliff

Jerry Santbergan came on the Art Scene in Toronto around 1965
He came from Regina in a bit of a wave with his girlfriend Kaaren Blatchford and Warren Bowman, etc.
he soon became a favorite of the Telegram Art Critic Barrie Hale and seemed to make the Art Section week after week. I became friends with Jerry about then and we  hung around to-gether. I helped Jerry make (not create) a lot of his paintings. he had a great studio the old Bohemian Embassy Space on St.Nicholas St.
An example of our relationship.
I get a phone call eight in the morning.
Jerry. "Gary I got lecture i'm supposed to give at the teaches college at 10 o-clock.'
Me      'So?"
Jerry. "I dropped acid a couple of hours ago and I need you to give it for me."
Me huh?
Jerry, "I's $600. and I'll split it with you.
So we show up with a slideshow and go into a classroom full of teachers with a projector.
I show the slides and invite questions.
The Teachers ask Jerry a Question and he sits there stoned and stonedfaced and I answer the questions.
they ask him a question I answer on it it goes. We finish and go to the office to get the cheque. We are amazed they give it to us and tell us it was the best lecture they had seen.
We go to bank and to Pilot Tavern laugh and drink all day long.
This card was his his Death of an Artist show and was pretty much it for his art career. he tried working with the City Muffin Boys for a while and drifted into driving and owning a cab.(I took the photo)