BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Marcel Godfrey (Lieutenant, CACF)
(b Marcel Godfrey Isaacs)

November 2 1893 -

groups


Marcel Godfrey was born in London in 1893. He was a pupil of Robert Logan, USA, Edgerton Cooper, London, England, Guy Pene DuBois, New York, and Georges Degorce, Paris, France. Godfrey had a one-man exhibition at the Cooling Galleries in London in 1935, at the Georges Petit Galleries in Paris in 1934, and at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1937. He had lived in Victoria, B.C. from 1937, according to an entry form he filled in for his solo exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, although a letter sent to the gallery following the exhibition gave his address as Bainsford Ranch, Kalamalka Lake, Vernon B.C. In the letter he noted that he had been "so ill all this winter with my old war wound" and that he had been in bed for weeks, unable to paint. He was a painter in oil, pastel, gouache, and watercolour. In 1941 he was living at the Red Door Studio, Oyama, B.C. He had two more solo exhibitions at the gallery in 1944 and 1946.

His wife wrote under the non-de-plume of Rene Scudamore for International News Service, doing "fashions from Paris and publicity for Elizabeth Arden and Kreuger “the late match king” ". Kreuger was a major businessman with many interests, including companies making wooden matches. He was also apparently a bit of a financial manipulator, and his empire collapsed in the Depression. He has been referred to as "the Leonardo of Larcenists."

Godfrey exhibited work with the Island Arts and Crafts Society in 1941.

He was on a list titled "Leading Vancouver Artists," provided to the Labour Arts Guild on April 10, 1946 by the Vancouver Art Gallery to assist in the Guild's call for entries to the third annual B.C. At Work exhibition.

He exhibited in the 1948 Annual Exhibition of the Atelier Sketch Club. He was listed as a Guest in the exhibition catalogue.

He exhibited artwork in the B.C. Artists' exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery from 1936 to 1950.

B.C. Vital Statistics on-line gives no information on Godfrey.

A 1957 news clipping notes that "Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Godfrey, formerly of this city, who have been residing in England for several years ..." (continues) were visiting Vancouver, Victoria, and the Okanagan and would return home to England afterwards.


SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION LOCATION
1937 May 25 - June 6 Oil paintings VAG
1944 July 4 - Aug. 23 Solo Exhibition VAG
1946 April 2 - 21 Solo Exhibition (40 pictures) VAG

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1936 Sept. 18 - Oct. 11 VAG   B.C. Artists 5th Annual A Girl with Red Hair
Island Road, Tahiti
1938 Sept. 16 - Oct. 9 VAG   B.C. Artists 7th Annual Evening on the Island
Zinnias
1940 Sept. 20 - Oct. 13 VAG   B.C. Artists 9th Annual Signor Rossi
The Okanagan Valley
Peonies and Lily
1944 Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 VAG   B.C. Artists 13th Annual Etude
1945 July 3 - Aug. 26 VAG   B.C. Artists 4th Annual Summer Flower Study
1945 Sept. 22 - Oct. 21 VAG   B.C. Artists 14th Annual Japanese Weaver
Late Afternoon, Oyama, B.C.
1945 ? - ? FCA   B.C. Artists Selections from 14th Ann. Late Afternoon, Oyama, B.C.
1946 Sept. 21 - Oct. 13 VAG   B.C. Artists 15th Annual Still Life
1947 Sept. 20 - Oct. 12 VAG   B.C. Artists 16th Annual Santa Prisca, Taxco, Mexico
Flower Market, Algiers
1948 Mar. 23 - Apr. 1 Atelier Sketch Club   9th Annual Exhibition Tiger Woman
Concentration
Roof Tops, Taxco, Ga. Mexico
1948 Sept. 18 - Oct. 10 VAG   B.C. Artists 17th Annual When Grief Was Calm
Calle Deya - Majorca
1949 Oct. 8 - 30 VAG   B.C. Artists 18th Annual The Fiddler
1950 Nov. 28 - Dec. 17 VAG   B.C. Artists 19th Annual Rue des Glacis, Ajaccio

References

WHO'S WHO IN NORTHWEST ART (refer to WWNA41)

ISLAND ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY - List of Exhibitors

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      1 reference cited for Godfrey: Who's Who in Northwest Art above.

https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bookplate/items/1.0215514

Clippings

"Tea Time Topics"
      Vancouver Sun, May 8 1937

"Marcel Godfrey Paintings At Private Viewing"
      (source unknown), May 26 1937

"Lend Me Your Ears" by Bob Bouchette
      Vancouver Sun, May 28 1937

"Beatrice Stone medal awarded annually by the Vancouver Art Gallery for a painting in oil of a high order of merit is this year awarded to Lieut. Marcel Godfrey for his painting, "Signor Rossi," it was announced by the Art Gallery Council today. A veteran of the First Great War, Lt. Godfrey, artist, writer, and traveller, came to British Columbia five years ago and established a studio at Oyama. In 1936 (sic: 1937) he held a successful one-man show at the Art Gallery here. At present he is serving with H.M. Forces at a West Coast depot."
      From "Major Art Award to CASF Officer At B.C. Artists' Annual Exhibit"
      Vancouver Sun, October 7 1940

"The customary honorable mentions have been made as follows: Pastels: Lieut. Marcel Godfrey, "Peonies and Lily"; ..."
      From "Major Art Award to CASF Officer At B.C. Artists' Annual Exhibit"
      Vancouver Sun, October 7 1940

"Van Loon Lauds Godfrey's New York Art Approach" by Pat Wallace
      Vancouver Sun, June 28 1944

"Capt. and Mrs. Marcel Godfrey"
      Vancouver Sun, July 3 1944

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