Guelph has lost one of its biggest biggest supports of artists and the arts with the passing of Wyndham Art Supplies co-founder Otto Ahlers.
The 81-year-old Ahlers died peacefully at home on Monday surrounded by family, said his son Chris Ahlers.
“We were lucky to be able to bring him home," said Chris in a phone interview. "He had complications after surgery and they were exacerbated by a neuro-muscular condition he had."
Otto started winding down his involvement with the store about 10 years ago and he and his wife Marg fully retired about five years ago.
Chris said his father took up painting later in life, as well as spending time outdoors enjoying nature.
“He enjoyed retirement. He and my mom made a point of travelling,” said Chris.
Otto opened Wyndham Art Supplies in 1992 with Marg and Chris. Since Otto and Marg's retirement the store has been operated by Chris and hs wife Tammy Ratcliff.
“I have heard people who walk in and say it’s like something out of Harry Potter. There is this magical sort of quality to it," said Chris of the store his father built. “There is this one-on-one personal service and expertise that Otto was excellent at and the store has defined itself around that kind of experience."
Prior to the opening of Wyndham Art Supplies, most Guelph-based artists travelled to Toronto to purchase their supplies from stores like Curry’s, said Sally Wismer.
Otto had done his homework before deciding to move to Guelph to open the store, said Wismer. That included meeting with the local arts community.
“As part of his market research he came to speak to the Guelph Arts Council to get an idea of if we thought there was a need for an arts supply store here in Guelph,” said Wismer, who at the time was executive director of the council. “I think he could see there was a market, there was a need here in Guelph, so he went from there.”
“I certainly encouraged him because there was no significant place in Guelph to get art supplies,” she said. “I don’t know whether people realize or artists appreciate how much they get out of having Wyndham Art Supplies here in Guelph and not having to go out of town to get art supplies.”
Wismer remembered having a long conversation with Otto at the time he was planning on moving to Guelph to open the store.
“I would say it was probably a little bit of a leap of faith on his part because he wasn’t from Guelph,” said Wismer. “Guelph has always been an artsy community, even back then, he felt it would be a good place to come to.”
Otto came to Canada from his native Netherlands at 22 and worked for IBM and Eaton’s prior to founding Wyndham Art Supplies.
Chris said his father was born into retail.
“In The Netherlands his family had a grocery business and they lived sort of behind and above the shop. So in one way, becoming an independent store owner was full circle for him coming back to his roots after he had done more executive and public association work,” said Chris.
“I thought of them — Otto, Marg and eventually Chris — as being a backbone of the arts community,” said Wismer. “He was a great support to the arts community and I think he passed that mantle on to Chris, his son, and it’s still going strong.”
Generations of Guelph artists have been supported and inspired when stepping into the store.
“Your eyes are opened as a student going in to look for something — you may discover something else,” said Wismer. “And you didn’t have to go to Toronto.”
Aside from supplying the artists in Guelph, Wismer said Otto was a great champion of educating local artists. That was expanded to include the founding of the Guelph School of Art at the store.
“He was always very supportive and I don’t think there is another organization I could say was as supportive of arts and arts projects,” said Wismer.
She recalls one project through the arts council project for a booklet offering walking tours in the city.
“It had drawings in it that were done by local artists and he sponsored that so we could actually hire and pay an artist — artists don’t always get paid a lot,” said Wismer.
Chris said his father was a people person who really enjoyed interacting with customers, as well as being part of the downtown community. He said notes of support the family has received in recent days have been heartwarming.
“People always thought he was a smiling, friendly presence. He always had time to talk to people in the store — he just loved people and meeting new people," said Chris.
