BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Frances (Frankie) McClaren Keefer

February 2 1900 - August 11 1987



Frankie Keefer on Savary Island.


Frankie Keefer was born in Greenwood, BC, in 1900. Her parents Harry Mcmicken Keefer and Nora Gertrude Mace were married in Vancouver on January 3 1899. Harry died on Savary Island July 15 1964 at the age of 90.

The Keefer family moved to Savary Island when Harry took on what was supposed to be the temporary position of Assistant Postmaster on the island, standing in for R.S. Sherman, who had been appointed to the position of Postmaster but was unable to take up the office immediately. Keefer eventually took over as Postmaster and held the position for 49 years.


Map by Frankie Keefer, c1931-32

Frankie was an artist, possibly self-taught or perhaps instructed by many of the artists who visited Savary Island. She was a lifelong friend of Maud Rees Sherman, and it is probable that they painted together or compared watercolours.

Frankie died in Powell River in 1987, at the age of 87.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1923 June Sketch Club    Semi-Annual Exhibition An Indian Girl

References

SUNNY SANDY SAVARY: A History of Savary Island 1792-1992 by Ian Kennedy
      1992, Kennell Publishing, Vancouver; ISBN 0-9696291-0-9
      188 pages, paperback, illustrated black & white; index, bibliography
      Includes references to Maud Sherman, R.S. Sherman, the Herchmer family,
           Frankie Keefer, Helen Griffin, visiting artists, art school students & staff.

MAGNETIC ISLE - Gladys Bloomfield's Savary
     2005; ISBN 0-9739209-0-4; 146 pages, illustrated in black and white
     Edited by Conde Landale; published by Savary Island Heritage Society
     Includes numerous photographs and references to Keefer and her family
     Also references to R.S. Sherman, Maud Rees Sherman, and Laurencia Herchmer.

B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE death (refer to BCVS)

Clippings

"A water colour by Miss Maud Sherman was in charge of Miss Frances Keefer. This was afterwards won by Mrs. G.J. Ashworth... ...in the evening a fancy dress ball was held in the pavilion, the Savary Island orchestra providing music for the dancers ... The costumes were particularly well done and becoming. Among those in fancy dress were the following: ... Miss Keefer ... "folly" ... "
      From "Savary Island" (fundraiser for the French Red Cross)
      Vancouver Province, August 10, 1918

"Mrs. H.M. Keefer and her daughter, Miss Frances Keefer, are leaving for Toronto this week. Miss Frances will attend Havergall college for a year."
      From "Savary Island"
      Vancouver Province, September 5, 1919

"Miss Frances Keefer, who has spent the past year as a student at Havergal college, Toronto, is now the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Keefer."
      From "Savary Island"
      Vancouver Province, ?, 1920

"Among the masqueraders were Miss Frances Keefer and Mr. George McFarland, Colonials of the Fifteenth Century, ... "
      From "Savary Island"
      ( unknown ), ?, 1921

""An Indian Girl" by Miss F. Keefer is remarkable for the treatment of hair and hands, the coloring of the jade bracelet and of the feather of flame."
      From "Semi-Annual Exhibit by the Vancouver Sketch Club" by Alice M. Winlow
      British Columbia Monthly, June 1923

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