Toni Onley (www.shinnova.com/artsource/toni.html) was born on the Isle of Man in the United Kingdom and moved to British Columbia in 1955. He met Jack Wise during his studies at the Instituto Allende, and has many amusing stories about their lives in Mexico. Toni Onley is a renowned watercolourist now living in Vancouver, known primarily for his landscape work. His paintings are in the National Gallery of Canada, the Tate in London and other world class collections. (interviewed by Angela Andersen, Vancouver, B.C., March 2001)

How did you know Jack?
I met Jack through a mutual friend in Mexico. Back in England, I got a letter saying he would like to see me. When I visited, Jack was living in B.C with his wife Jamie at the time, in a nudist colony. I drove up and I found Jack nailing shingles to his roof, stark naked!

Untitled (Blue Circle) Jack Wise

In terms of his work, what was your favourite piece, or the one that you found most moving?
Probably the best ones that he did, were, of course, his mandalas. I visited him up on Denman Island, and actually, it was right before his death. He was working on a large piece that still resonates in my mind. I don't know the name of it or anything, very sort of spring-like in virtue.

Being an artist yourself, what do you think the lasting impact of Jack Wise's work as an artist will be?
Jack wasn't interested in fashionable art. Jack was never fashionable, and he prided himself on that. He didn't do political art, which always dates itself very quickly. His work always shows up in shows. I hope I can achieve that timeless presence. Mark Tobey's work was like that as well.