"The Blueback at the Bridge, Fraser River (North Arm). Vancouver B.C."
J.H.O. Amess painting dated 1938 (?) reproduced on seasonal greeting card
| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
He won a Gold medal for his work at the Provincial Exhibition in 1919.
Amess exhibited with the B.C. Society of Fine Arts beginning in 1920, and continued to show work almost every year until 1951.
He exhibited work in numerous B.C. Artists exhibitions from 1932 to 1945.
He had work in the Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, in 1930 and possibly 1939, and in the Traveling Loan Collection in 1940.
Amess died in 1955, aged 79. His occupation was noted as "janitor - retired" with the last year worked noted as 1950 on his death certificate.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | LOCATION |
| 1941 June 3 - 15 | J.H.O. Amess & Fred Amess | Vancouver Art Gallery |
| 1945 July 10 - Aug. 29 | Solo show | Vancouver Art Gallery |
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
| 1920 September 18 - 25 | BCSFA Annual Exhibition | Portrait of Mrs. J. Duff Stuart |
| Portrait of David Blair, Esq. | ||
| 1920 Dec. 4 - ? | Sketch Club Annual Exhibition | Self Portrait |
| David Blair, Esq. | ||
| 1921 Sept. 19 - 24 | BCSFA 13th Annual | A Quiet Place |
| Portrait | ||
| 1921 Nov. 5 | Sketch Club Monthly Exhibition | (portrait) |
| (still life) | ||
| 1922 April 1 | Sketch Club Monthly Exhibition | (pencil sketches) |
| (pastel landscape) | ||
| 1922 Sept. 16 - 23 | BCSFA 14th Annual | Mrs. J.G. Todhunter |
| Looking East from Fraser Street Bridge | ||
| Portrait Sketch | ||
| 1923 May 12 - 19 | BCSFA 15th Annual | Cloudy Evening, Fraser River |
| Portrait Sketch | ||
| Near Argyle, Fraser River | ||
| Good Friday at Lynn Valley | ||
| Portrait | ||
| 1924 May 3 - 17 | BCSFA 16th Annual | Sketch |
| Bohemian Waxwings | ||
| "Tom" | ||
| Jean | ||
| Armed Ornithologist | ||
| 1925 May 9 - 16 | BCSFA 17th Annual | Dusk, Twigg Island |
| Sunset, Twigg Island | ||
| Eagle Harbour | ||
| Eagle Harbour (East) | ||
| 1926 May 8 - 15 | BCSFA 18th Annual | A Student |
| Hazel | ||
| The Connoisseurs | ||
| 1927 June 10 - 25 | BCSFA 19th Annual | Barbara |
| Mary | ||
| 1929 May 18 - June 8 | BCSFA 21st Annual | Portrait |
| 1929 Nov. 16 - 30 | BCSFA Winter Exhibition | Moments of Leisure |
| A Brown Study | ||
| A Neighbouring Draughtman | ||
| 1930 May 31 - June 14 | BCSFA Spring Exhibition | Hilda |
| Portrait | ||
| Merriment (Averil) | ||
| Annette | ||
| 1930 Aug. 6 - 16 | VanExh Oil Paintings & Water-colours | The Back Lot |
| Miss A. Dryden (Red chalk) | ||
| 1930 Aug. 22 - Sept. 6 | CNE Graphic Arts | Annette (crayon) |
| 1932 May - July | VAG All Canadian Exhibition | Irish Jig |
| Portrait | ||
| 1932 Oct. 5 - 30 | VAG B.C. Artists 1st Annual | A Friend |
| Sisters | ||
| 1933 June 3 - 11 | BCSFA 23rd Annual | Lynn Creek |
| Marjorie | ||
| 1933 Sept. 22 - Oct. 15 | VAG B.C. Artists 2nd Annual | Bernice |
| Portrait of Peggy Weist | ||
| 1934 Sept. 21 - Oct. 14 | VAG B.C. Artists 3rd Annual | Home on the Range |
| 1935 Sept. 20 - Oct. 15 | VAG B.C. Artists 4th Annual | Shade |
| Portrait of my Wife | ||
| Doreen | ||
| 1936 June 26 - July 12 | BCSFA 26th Annual | Spring Night |
| Twilight | ||
| Just to Oblige | ||
| Portrait of Miss Eustis | ||
| 1937 April 16 - May 1 | BCSFA 27th Annual | Wintry Day |
| Alert | ||
| Spring | ||
| Billy Glen | ||
| 1937 Sept. 17 - Oct. 10 | VAG B.C. Artists 6th Annual | Gertrude |
| Meeting of the Waters, Kamloops | ||
| 1938 April 29 - May 15 | BCSFA 28th Annual | Miss Grace Irwin |
| Nurse, Miss Parnell | ||
| Self Portrait | ||
| 1938 Sept. 16 - Oct. 9 | VAG B.C. Artists 7th Annual | Sylvia |
| Floral Piece | ||
| 1939 June 9 - 25 | BCSFA 29th Annual | Elsie |
| At Steveston | ||
| A Gypsy | ||
| At Woodward's Landing | ||
| Margaret | ||
| 1939 Sept. 15 - Oct. 8 | VAG B.C. Artists 8th Annual | Stewart's Ranch, Sullivan Valley, B.C. |
| Miss Eunice Backie | ||
| 1940 May 17 - June 2 | BCSFA 30th Annual | Hell's Gate, Fraser Canyon |
| Miss Holland | ||
| A Visitor | ||
| On Sea Island | ||
| 1940 Sept. 20 - Oct. 13 | VAG B.C. Artists 9th Annual | Fraser River Folk |
| Rest for Man and Beast | ||
| 1941 May 10 - June 1 | BCSFA 31st Annual | Music at Home |
| The Commissionaire | ||
| Rev. T.S. Paton, B.A. | ||
| 1941 Sept. 26 - Oct. 19 | VAG B.C. Artists 10th Annual | On the Lady Cynthia |
| 1942 May 15 - 31 | BCSFA 32nd Annual | Water |
| Near Fraser Street | ||
| The Morag | ||
| Detail from Botticelli's Adoration of the Virgin | ||
| Higgley Piggley | ||
| 1943 May 15 - June 6 | BCSFA 33rd Annual | The White Boat |
| Archie Paton | ||
| Self Portrait | ||
| Up the Hill, Kaslo, B.C. | ||
| 1943 Sept. 25 - Oct. 20 | VAG B.C. Artists 12th Annual | Jake's Barn, Nicomen Island |
| Gourlay's Falls, Dewdney, B.C. | ||
| 1944 May 13 - June 4 | BCSFA 34th Annual | Portrait "Dolly" |
| Portrait, R.J. Duncan | ||
| 1944 Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 | VAG B.C. Artists 13th Annual | Pool, Alouette River |
| 1945 Sept. 22 - Oct. 21 | VAG B.C. Artists 14th Annual | Morning, Agamemnon Channel |
| 1946 May 31 - June 23 | BCSFA 36th Annual | From My Bed, St. Paul's Hospital |
| 1947 May 9 - June 1 | BCSFA 37th Annual | The Lost Sheep |
| Wheat and Tares | ||
| The Samaritan Woman | ||
| 1948 May 18 -June 6 | BCSFA 38th Annual | Workmen's Cars |
| Travelling Crane | ||
| 1949 May 3 - 22 | BCSFA 39th Annual | The Man Born Blind |
| 1950 April 25 - May 14 | BCSA 40th Annual | Portrait of Mrs. Duff Stuart |
| Church Interior (Pen and Ink) | ||
| 1951 April 24 - May 13 | VAG BCSA 41st Annual | Mary and Elizabeth (Pen and Ink) |
| The Good Samaritan (Pen and Ink) |
THE FINE ARTS IN VANCOUVER, 1886 - 1930 (refer to THOM69)
ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
2 references cited for Amess including WWNA above.
B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE death (refer to BCVS)
"In a "Portrait" (135) by J.H.O. Amess; we
have a picture whose composition is hard and uncompromising, but
whose subject figure is wonderfully conceived. ... " (continues).
From "Pictures at B.C. Fine Arts" by J. Butterfield
Vancouver Province, September 19 1921, page 12
"The exhibitors were: Mr. Amiss, (sic) portrait and still life (oils); ... "
From "Many View Sketch Club Exhibit and Much Work Shown"
Vancouver Sun, November 7 1921
"Clever pencil sketches and also a pretty pastel landscape were shown by Mr. Amess."
From "Sketch Club Tea Enjoyable Event; Good Work Shown"
Vancouver Daily World, April 3 1922
""Tom" by Mr. Jas. Amess is the study of a boy, one is sure to
like. What wide-open, frank, earnest eyes! The face is full of eagerness and life."
From "Exhibition of the B.C. Society of Fine Art" by
Alice M. Winlow
British Columbia magazine, June 1924
"Fred Amess' "High Dive" is an arresting composition. Mr. Amess's
father, J.H.O. Amess, is showing something that is not very
common, a water-color portrait. It is a charming study of a girl in green."
From "B.C. Artists Reveal Talent at Show"
unknown newspaper, October 1932
"G.T. Tyler (sic), G.L Thornton Sharp,
James Amess, and Stanley Tytler and others
make contributions which should be studied."
From "Leading Provincial Artists Exhibit at Show" by T.H.W.
News-Herald, June 10 1939
"Artists represented in the group comprise the following ...
James H.O. Amess ... " (continues)
From "Maritime Art Association"
Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin, November (?) 1939
"James Amess has made remarkable strides ... "
From "Notable Exhibits of Artists' Work"
by Mildred Valley Thornton
Vancouver Sun (presumed), May 1944
"It was '43 I think, when I was last in Trail, to see the first exhibit
of Vancouver artists, sponsored by
James L. (sic) Amess, of
B.C. Fine Arts association, Vancouver,
Mrs. Mildred V. Thornton,
Bess Symons,
Fred Amess and the writer. (continues)"
From "LIKES WESTON" by Allan P. Allsebrook
Trail Daily Times, March 1948
"The Society membership has been constantly strengthened in the succeeding years
by the addition of other members, which included in the early years ... James Amess ... "
From "B.C. Society of Artists - A History"
by J.D. Parker
B.C. Society of Fine Arts 40th Annual
Exhibition Catalogue, 1950