| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
Ferris exhibited a number of his paintings in the First Annual Exhibition of the Vancouver Art Association in 1890, and also in the 1894 exhibition. He had work in the first annual exhibition of the Vancouver Arts and Crafts Association in 1900.
He had a number of paintings in the 1909 B.C. Society of Fine Arts' debut First Annual Exhibition at the Dominion Hall in Vancouver.
Ferris exhibited in the 1920 Annual Exhibition of the B.C. Society of Fine Arts, held at the Vancouver School Board offices on Hamilton Street.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
| 1890 October 6 - 11 | Vancouver Art Assoc. 1st Annual Exhibition | Cedar Tree, Stanley Park |
| A Veteran, Stanley Park | ||
| Fisherman's Home, Stanley Park | ||
| On the Rail Track, Vancouver | ||
| Burrard Inlet, From Drydock | ||
| A Tangled Corner, Stanley Park | ||
| Observation Point, from Stanley Park | ||
| The old "Beaver" | ||
| Brockton Point, from Jones' boathouse | ||
| The Old Saw-pit, Ealing | ||
| The Two Lions, from Capilano | ||
| Wild Music, The Canyon, Capilano | ||
| Day's Point, Second Narrows | ||
| The San Juan Lime Works | ||
| False Creek Bridge | ||
| River Thames, Wandsworth | ||
| Kew | ||
| 1900 Sept. 25-27 | VACA First Annual Exhibition | To Second Beach |
| Grey Day, Second Beach | ||
| Across the Inlet | ||
| Low Tide, English Bay | ||
| Rainy Weather, Bowen Island | ||
| Autumn Morning, English Bay | ||
| To Recreation Grounds, Stanley Park | ||
| The Bluff | ||
| Burrard Inlet | ||
| Capilano River | ||
| Siwash Rock | ||
| Gray Morning, English Bay | ||
| Big Trees, Stanley Park | ||
| Brockton Point, looking north | ||
| A Cosy Nook | ||
| A Big Cedar | ||
| Low Tide, Siwash Rock | ||
| Second Beach | ||
| To English Bay | ||
| Brockton Point | ||
| The Beaver | ||
| The Reef, English Bay | ||
| To False Creek | ||
| Rocks, Point Atkinson | ||
| Inlet, from Drydock | ||
| English Bay | ||
| 1909 April 20 - 28 | BCSFA First Annual Exhibition | Low Tide, English Bay |
| Spring Day, English Bay | ||
| Peep at Vancouver from Brockton Pt. | ||
| Autumn Morn, English Bay | ||
| Cedar Cove, 20 Years Ago | ||
| 1911 November | BCSFA Fourth Exhibition | ? |
| 1912 Nov. 25 - 30 | BCSFA Annual Exhibition | Howe Sound from Jericho |
| A Fishing Morn, Vedder River | ||
| Mt. Crown, from Jericho | ||
| Evening, Sechelt | ||
| 1915 April | BCSFA Works by Members | Surlingham on the Nate, Norfolk |
| Site of Pacific Coast Lumber Mill, 1900 | ||
| Indian Summer, English Bay | ||
| Pt. Atkinson from Jericho | ||
| Old Cannery, Jericho | ||
| Sechelt | ||
| Cloud Effect, English Bay | ||
| 1916 September | BCSFA - Annual Exhibition | Old Country Road Near London |
| Deadman's Island | ||
| 1920 September 18 - 25 | BCSFA Annual Exhibition | Backwater, Lulu Island |
| The Reef, English Bay | ||
| Coal Harbour, Foggy Morning | ||
| 1932 May - July | VAG All Canadian Exhibition | Shuswap River |
| Mabel Lake | ||
| 1946 July 2 - 28 | VAG Jubilee Exhibition | Kileaua Volcano, Hawaii |
| The Old Cannery, Jericho Beach | ||
| The Narrows from Stanley Park | ||
| Site of Bath-House, English Bay, 1892 | ||
| Trees, Stanley Park | ||
| Landscape, 1911 | ||
| 1950 April 25 - May 14 | BCSA 40th Annual Exhibition | The Beaver, 1888 |
100 YEARS OF B.C. ART (refer to VAG58)
THE FINE ARTS IN VANCOUVER, 1886 - 1930 (refer to THOM69)
EARLY PAINTERS AND ENGRAVERS IN CANADA
(refer to H70)
Includes short reference to Ferris.
AN EXHIBITION OF OUR COLLECTION OF EARLY WESTERN CANADIAN WATERCOLORS (refer to UL78)
ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)
BEYOND THE CANVAS - Artists, Stories and the Sea (refer to VMM00)
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA
(refer to BIAC03)
1 reference cited for Ferris: Harper above
VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY - B.C. ARTISTS FILES (refer to VPL)
CITY & PROVINCIAL DIRECTORIES 1899-1900 (refer to DIR)
https://westendvancouver.wordpress.com/biographies-a-m/biographies-f/ferris-william-1839-1930/
" ... were well represented in oil colors, and Messrs.
DeForest and Ferris each sent
a number of characteristic works in the same medium . . . In
water colors, Mr. Ferris showed but four small drawings ..."
From "British Columbia Letters, No. VII"
The Canadian Architect and Builder, 1901
"One of the first pioneers of art in this Province was William Ferris, who came to
Vancouver in 1888, after some years of the legal profession in London, where he had
had the advantage of the companionship and help of many painters since famous. His
week-ends and afternoons were frequently devoted to sketching with those congenial
comrades, and he attained considerable dexterity with the brush. It was natural that
he should, on coming to British Columbia, begin to sketch the scenery he saw around
him. One of the earliest of these sketches had for its subject the wreck of the
steamship "Beaver" - a picture that may now be regarded as the best actual representation
of that ill-fated vessel. Sketches of Cedar Cove and various objects and scenes
along the waterfront attest his skill, and are valued evidences of what Vancouver
was in those early days. Along with others, he was instrumental in the inauguration of the
Art, Historical and Scientific Association, which has remained
in existence until this day."
From "Art in British Columbia" by Bernard McEvoy
Opportunities Magazine, 1910
"This year's exhibitors were ... Will Ferris ... "
From "Fine Arts Society Makes Fine Exhibit"
Vancouver Daily World, November 23 1911
"Mr. Will Ferris has a charming little watercolor, No. (5), "Old Country Road Near
London". His "Deadman's Island", No. (6), shows, I am told, a vanished past. The artist
has obtained an excellent water effect, but as a painting it suffers a little from the
regularity of the trees."
From "With The B.C. Artists" by "A Visitor"
Vancouver Province, September 27 1916
"Owing to the retirement of Mr. Will Ferris, who had been connected with the
Association from its earliest days, and now seeks a very well-earned retirement,
it was necessary to appoint a new secretary-curator. This was carried out by a
special committee, who, after interviewing numerous applicants, finally selected
myself, and I was duly appointed to the position of secretary-curator at the meeting
held on the 26th of March, 1925, the appointment to date from the 1st of April of that
year. Mr. Will Ferris kindly consented to remain in office to instruct his successor
for the period of one month."
From "Curator's Report" by T.P.O. Menzies
Museum Notes, Vol. 1, No. 1, February 1926
"May 19th a reception was held at the home of Mrs. J.W. Weart, where His Worship Mayor
L.D. Taylor made a presentation of a handsome walking stick, as a token of appreciation
of the long and faithful services rendered by Mr. Will Ferris by the Association, on
his retirement."
From "Curator's Report" by T.P.O. Menzies
Museum Notes, Vol. 1, No. 1, February 1926
"A meeting called the following Tuesday, April 17th (1894) ,,, saw the founding of a
the present society. The new association soon printed a new Constitution, from which is
taken the first list of officers, as follows: ... General Committee: ... Mr. Ferris ... "
From "History of the Art, Historical and Scientific Association
of Vancouver"
Museum Notes, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1926
"At that time Prof. Charles Hill-Tout had charge of the Archaeological section, and
Mr. Will Ferris of the Arts."
From "History of the Art, Historical and Scientific Association
of Vancouver"
Museum Notes, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1926
"In your entry on William Ferris you failed to include his work for the
Imperial Opera House, Vancouver, in 1889, and failed to mention that he was a solicitor."
Email from Robert B. Todd, https://roberttodd5.academia.edu/, January 11 2024