BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
In 25 years of research I had not found any references to this exhibition, until in Spring 2020 I saw a label on the back of a painting by Gertrude Lawson. The painting was in the collection of the West Vancouver Archives. I found an article by the Vancouver Historical Society about the opening of the David Spencer 1936 time capsule in 1986. There was a list of the contents of the time capsule, which included a 2-page report on the exhibition. The Vancouver City Archives kindly looked up the information and sent me a scan. (CVA file AM1495_945-D-01-fld 03.pdf, from "Women's Division Vancouver Golden Jubilee Committee" fond). The report provided some details about the exhibition, and also noted that a large amount of news reporting had been done about the show.
A friend found a couple of news articles online and sent them to me. One was a review of artwork in the show, the other was a lengthy review of who attended the opening and a description of the clothes they were wearing. To date, no catalogue of the entire exhibition has been located. In the meantime, I thought it useful to compile the known information into a single file for reference.
Spencer's had a public vote for best artwork, and three prizes ("beautiful books on Art") were awarded to the winners (see below). 15,000 people viewed the exhibition, which was held in a "specially constructed gallery" on the third floor of the David Spencer Ltd. Department store on Hastings Street.
ARTIST | TITLE / DESCRIPTION OF ARTWORK |
Alexander, R.S. | "A striking portrait study of a young, fair-haired man in a blue shirt ..." |
Bainbridge, Unity | "... two particularly fine portraits in oil, one of which a study of a sailor, caused much comment among those who have had a preview of the exhibition." |
Barker, C.F. | (artwork) |
Bater, Frank W. | Capilano |
Boyd, Katherine A. | "... a painting in oil of horses on the waterfront." |
Bunyard, R.G. | "... a pair of coloured prints ..." |
Fowler, Major C.B. | (artwork) |
Fry, Bessie | (artwork) |
Griffith, Julius (Jr.) | (artwork) |
Hamilton, Mary Riter | "... a portrait in pastels." |
Harris, I. | "... two strong pencil portraits." |
Hayes, Mrs. J.J. | Forest Fire; prize winner |
Hoole, Kate Smith | (artwork) |
Lennie, Beatrice | (sculpture) |
Innes, John | (artwork) |
Lawson, Gertrude | Morning on Mt. Edith Cavell |
Paterson, Alexander | (artwork) |
Ramsay, Cameron | De Trafford Young; prize winner |
Roberts, Ralph | (sculpture) |
Rolleston, W. | "... a pair of original and amusing fish pictures." |
Schellenberger, Otto | (artwork) |
Schooley, Mrs. Frederick T. | "... a group of three still life pictures." |
Taylor, Turner | "two paintings in oil": "... Vancouver's first mayor, Malcolm A. MacLean." "... a full length portrait in his red robes of office of His Grace Archbishop A.U. dePencier." |
Thornton, Mildred Valley | "... a lovely landscape in oils of Lost Lagoon with English Bay and Point Grey beyond." |
von Ustinov, Plato | (artwork) |
Wallis, W.H. | Burgos Cathedral; prize winner |