BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Bess Larkin Harris
(m Frederick Broughton Housser)(m Lawren Stewart Harris)

November 18 1890 - September 28 1969

B.C. Society of Fine Arts (Member 1943-1967)


Bess Harris was born in Brandon, Manitoba, and took some art training from Fred Varley of the Group of Seven, and was invited to exhibit her work in their shows.

In 1914 she married F.B. Housser, who later wrote A Canadian Art Movement. She exhibited her work at Wembley in 1926, and then in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, as well as various cities across Canada. Her work was reproduced in the 1929 Yearbook of the Arts in Canada.

She married Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven in 1934.

She showed her work in the Canadian Women's Exhibition.

She 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 second annual B.C. At Work exhibition.

She exhibited with the B.C. Society of Fine Arts from 1941 to 1967.

She submitted four drawings to the 1949 B.C. Graphic exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, two of them were selected for the exhibition.

Also, per card file at Vancouver Art Gallery Library:
     VAG annual B.C. Artist exhibitions:
         1941-43, 1946, 1948-1950, 1952


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1941 May 10 - June 1 BCSFA   31st Annual Winter Drift
The Red House
1941 Sept. 26 - Oct. 19 VAG   B.C. Artists 10th Annual Winter in the Town
1942 May 15 - 31 BCSFA   32nd Annual Lilies
Leaves
1942 July 7 - Sept. 2 VAG   B.C. Artists 1st Annual Summer The Red House
1942 Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 VAG   B.C. Artists 11th Annual White Flower
1942 Nov. 3 - 15 FCA   Red Cross Benefit (no information available)
1943 July 2 - Aug. 25 VAG   B.C. Artists 2nd Annual Summer From Maligne Lake
Shell
1943 Sept. 25 - Oct. 20 VAG   B.C. Artists 12th Annual First Snow, Rocky Mountains
1944 May 13 - June 4 BCSFA   34th Annual Robson Glacier
Mountain Torrent
Across the Ottertail Valley
Fine Day
1944 July 4 - Aug. 30 VAG   B.C. Artists 3rd Annual Summer Two Lilies
Lilies
1946 May 31 - June 23 BCSFA   36th Annual Mountain and Glacier
Mountain Twilight
1946 July 2 - 28 VAG   Jubilee Exhibition Clearing Weather in the Mountains
1946 Sept. 21 - Oct. 13 VAG   B.C. Artists 15th Annual Homestead
Magnolia Bud
1946 ? - ? VAG    Selections from 15th BCA Mountain Twilight
Homestead
1947 May 9 - June 1 BCSFA   37th Annual Mountain Peaks and Glaciers
1947 July 8 - 27 VAG   B.C. Artists Summer Exhibition Laurentian Homestead
1948 Sept. 18 - Oct. 10 VAG   B.C. Artists 17th Annual Flower Forms
1949 May 3 - 22 BCSFA   39th Annual Days End
Mountain and Mist
From Wiwaxy
Impression
1949 Oct. 8 - 30 VAG   B.C. Artists 18th Annual Painting
1949 Nov. 22 - Dec. 11 VAG   First B.C. Graphic Mountain Peak #1
Mountain Peak #2
Mount LeFroy (rejected)
Oderay (did not come in)
1950 April 25 - May 14 BCSA   40th Annual Two Lilies
Sun on the Mountains
1950 Nov. 28 - Dec. 17 VAG   B.C. Artists 19th Annual Mountain Recollection
Summer Shore
1951 April 24 - May 13 VAG    BCSA 41st Annual Mountain Water Fall 1
Mountain Water Fall 2
Mountain Water Fall 3
1954 May 25 - June 13 VAG    BCSA 44th Annual Desert Form
Sicamores in Sun
1955 April 26 - May 15 VAG    BCSA 45th Annual Spring Underground
Desert Forms
1957 March 5 - 24 VAG    BCSA 47th Annual Renascent Seed
1958 Feb. 4 - 22 VAG    BCSA 48th Annual A Painting
November Day

References

SOUVENIR CATALOGUE OF EXHIBITIONS OPENING THE NEW VANCOUVER ART GALLERY (refer to VAG51)

BRITISH COLUMBIA - A CENTENNIAL ANTHOLOGY (refer to BCCA58)

100 YEARS OF B.C. ART (refer to VAG58)

LAWREN HARRIS, Edited by Bess Harris and R.G.P. Colgrove
      1969, published by The Macmillan Company of Canada; 146 pages
      ISBN 0 7705 1451 7 (1976 paperback edition); Introduction by Northrop Frye
      Compilation of art (mostly from family collection) and writing by Lawren Harris
      Extensively illustrated in colour; chronology, list of paintings

ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS - EXHIBITIONS & MEMBERS 1880 - 1979 (refer to RCA81)

ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)

VANCOUVER: ART & ARTISTS 1931 - 1983 (refer to VAG83)

BRITISH COLUMBIA WOMEN ARTISTS 1885-1985 (refer to AGGV85)

MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - SPRING EXHIBITIONS 1880 - 1970 (refer to MM88)

A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)

EARLY BRITISH COLUMBIAN WOMAN ARTISTS (refer to HG95)

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      5 references cited for Harris.

Clippings

" ... forms part of a group of abstract or semi-abstract compositions by ... Bess Harris ... "
      From "B.C. Society of Fine Arts Display Sets New High Mark" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, May 16 1942

"The blue "Composition" by Jim Dickie reveals an arrangement of balanced and varied forms which impart much dignity to a small canvas. This painting and "The White Flower" by Bess Harris are among the few semi-abstract or abstract exhibits."
      From "Colorful Display Presented In Exhibition By B.C. Artists" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, September 19 1942

" ... Among those contibuting paintings and drawings are: ... Bess Harris ... "
      from "Noted Artists Offer Paintings For Red Cross"
      Vancouver Province (presumed), November 1942

"Hung side by side, and yet in harmony, the visitor can enjoy on the same wall such varied products as ... "The Red House" by Bess Harris ... "
      From "Summer Show at Gallery Major Event for Art Lovers" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, July 7 1943

" "Across the Ottertail Valley" by Bess Harris is one of the best efforts we have seen by this artist. "
      From "Notable Exhibits of Artists' Work" by Mildred Valley Thornton
      Vancouver Sun (presumed), May 1944

"Other works which catch the eye are by W.P. Weston, Beth (sic) Harris, Erich Loewe, and Gordon A. Smith."
      From "B.C. Art Exhibit Non-Experimental"
      News Herald, May 12 1947

"However, one can not omit mentioning the sensitive pictures of mountain scenery by Bess Harris ... "
      From "Lively Spirit Pervades B.C. Artists' Exhibition" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, May 3 1949

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