Ernie Herzig lived with a focus on balance and beauty

A kind and gentle soul, Ernie Herzig had an eye for beauty and a strong sense of equality.

His wife of 61 years, Rivette, said he was a true gentleman in every way and also vibrant, hard working with a wonderful sense of humour.

“I don’t think he ever raised his voice to the children,” said Rivette. “I miss him.” 

She said Ernie was a country boy at heart and was happy to spend time in Dunedin where the couple created a peaceful retreat. Over the years, he kept sheep, planted many trees and created beautiful gardens.

Ernie was born in a small farming town in Switzerland. After school he entered into a four-year apprenticeship with one of the best graphic arts companies in Zurich. 

As a requirement of the apprenticeship, Ernie took art classes at Kunstgewerbeschule, where he developed an appreciation for the arts.

Rivette said she and Ernie met in Switzerland.

“We used to take our meals at a certain pension,” she said. “When he started talking about emigration, it became romantic.”

They decided they would go wherever Ernie found work. He was keeping an eye on the trade magazines, which at the time had numerous job postings for positions all over the world but he ended up going abroad with the hope of a job rather than a promise. 

Rivette said he had an adventuresome nature and wanted to expand his horizons and further his skills.

He decided to come to Canada, where he had a brother living in Orillia. It was 1953 and Ernie was 23. When he arrived, realizing how small the community was, he made his way to Toronto.

Rivette joined him in 1954.

“It was a good time,” she said. “Ernie found a job right away.”

He was employed in the publishing industry, in a pre-press house. At that time, images bound for publication would be processed by a colour corrector or dot etcher before being approved for print.

Rivette said Ernie was very talented and was quickly promoted.

“Before you knew it, he was in charge of the colour department, at a different company.”

After 10 years in the industry, Ernie and Rivette took a trip to Switzerland where they were offered a partnership in a company with one of Ernie’s former employers.

Rivette said they decided to start their own company in Toronto, where they had already bought a house and were raising two sons.

“We thought we could do better in Canada,” she said. “I had such faith in him, I said, here’s all our savings. Let’s start something.”

The Herzigs partnered with Bill Somerville and Herzig-Somerville was born. Rivette said Ernie and Bill took care of the technical aspects of the pre-press work and she ran the office. They started in colour separation and gradually moved into fine printing of books and art prints.

They worked with some of the top artists, making sure the prints were just right before going to press including Alex Colville, Alfred Pellan, Harold Town, Christopher Pratt and Group of Seven artist Lauren Harris. Rivette recalls travelling to Vancouver to meet with Harris to show him the proofs.

In the end, at the time it was sold, there were 135 people working at Herzig-Somerville. Ernie mentored many people in the business who went on to be quite successful, said Rivette.

In his later life, Ernie took time for his own artwork, painting, drawing and sculpting.

In 1995, Ernie studied sculpture at Ontario College of Art and Design, where there is a bursary in the Herzigs’ name.

Rivette said Ernie always worked on his sculptures, chiseled by hand, in his studio at the family’s weekend home in Dunedin, purchased in 1976.

The home’s expansive gardens are dotted with Ernie’s sculptures, depicting male and female in perfect balance, different but equal.

“Ernie was always a big advocate of gender equality,” said Rivette. “Most of his sculptures show male and female in harmony.”

Harmony is the name he gave the bronze sculpture he donated to the village of Creemore last fall, which is installed at Station on the Green.

Ernie died on June 8 at the age of 83 from an aneurism. The family held a private service in Dunedin.

He will be remembered as a loving husband and father, artist, philanthropist and businessman, a great cook, who loved to barbecue for friends and family, an ardent skier and long-time member at Craigleith Ski Club.

“He was a country boy at heart,” said Rivette. “Barefoot in the summer and on skis in the winter.”