BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

John Wood Laing

November 23 1871 - December 26 1949

Island Arts and Crafts Society
B.C. Society of Fine Arts (Patron)
Art, Historical and Scientific Association of Vancouver (Member 1931)
Federation of Canadian Artists (Founding Member 1941)

John Wood Laing was born in Scotland (either in Edinburgh or in Glasgow, both locations are given in different sources) in 1871 and came to Vancouver in 1909. Who's Who in Northwest Art (1941) listed him as a painter in water colours and oils, and a former student of Thomas William Fripp (1864 - 1931). He was living on Pacific Boulevard in Vancouver in 1941.

Laing exhibited in Vancouver in 1920 with the Vancouver Sketch Club.

He exhibited from 1932 to 1941 in the annual B.C. Artists exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery. He also showed work in the B.C. Artists Christmas exhibitions in 1933 and 1934.

He was listed as a Patron of the B.C. Society of Fine Arts in the exhibition catalogue for the 1930 Spring Exhibition of the Society. He exhibited with the group in 1921 and 1929.

He exhibited with the Island Arts and Crafts Society, in at least one exhibition in 1941.

Laing died in Sooke, Vancouver Island, in 1949 at the age of 78, according to B.C. Vital Statistics on-line.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1919 Sept. 6 - ? Sketch Club    Monthly Exhibition (a number of mountain and lake views of Howe Sound)
1920 Feb. 7 Sketch Club    Monthly Exhibition (two watercolour landscapes)
1920 April 10 Sketch Club    Monthly Exhibition (titles not known)
1920 Dec. 4 - ? Sketch Club    Annual Exhibition Sunset, English Bay
(watercolour)
(watercolour)
1921 Sept. 19 - 24 BCSFA   13th Annual Exhibition Mount Wrothesley
1921 Nov. 5 Sketch Club    Monthly Exhibition (four landscapes)
1922 April 1 Sketch Club    Monthly Exhibition (Boundary Bay)
1929 Nov. 16 - 30 BCSFA   Winter Exhibition Doubtful Weather, Skeena River
Summer Cabin, Tolmie Channel
Forenoon Breeze, Johnstone Straits
1932 May - July VAG   All Canadian Exhibition Shades of Evening
1932 Oct. 5 - 30 VAG   B.C. Artists 1st Annual Neglected Pastures
Autumn, Maple Ridge, B.C.
1933 Sept. 22 - Oct. 15 VAG   B.C. Artists 2nd Annual An Old Farm
Morning, Lowe Inlet, B.C.
Rocky Coast, near Victoria
1933 Dec. 1 - 17 VAG   B.C. Artists Christmas Exhibition Jervis Inlet
Evening Shadows, Rivers Inlet
Islands and Mountains
1934 Sept. 21 - Oct. 14 VAG   B.C. Artists 3rd Annual Landscape, Pitt Meadows
Pemberton Range
Mount Alpha
1934 ? - ? VAG   B.C. Artists Edmonton Exhibition Pemberton Range
1934 Dec. 4 - 16 VAG   B.C. Artists Christmas Exhibition Near Lillooet
In Rivers Inlet
1935 Sept. 20 - Oct. 15 VAG   B.C. Artists 4th Annual A Quiet Harbour
1936 Sept. 18 - Oct. 11 VAG   B.C. Artists 5th Annual Tranquility
The Unveiling
In the Livery of August
1936 Oct. 15 - 20 VAG   B.C. Artists Chilliwack Exhibition Tranquility
1937 Sept. 17 - Oct. 10 VAG   B.C. Artists 6th Annual Sunlight and Shadow
Old Hudson's Bay Barn at Esquimalt
1938 Sept. 16 - Oct. 9 VAG   B.C. Artists 7th Annual Spring Sunshine
The Pleasant River, Alouette
The Fraser, Near Yale
1939 Sept. 15 - Oct. 8 VAG   B.C. Artists 8th Annual In the Fraser Canyon
Under Mt. Cheam
1940 Sept. 20 - Oct. 13 VAG   B.C. Artists 9th Annual Tree Study
Pavilion Lake, B.C.
In the Marble Canyon, Pavilion Lake, B.C.
1941 Sept. 26 - Oct. 19 VAG   B.C. Artists 10th Annual The Garden Archway
An Old Victoria Garden

References

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

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

ISLAND ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY - List of Exhibitors

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

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

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

Clippings

"A number of mountain and lake views of Howe Sound were shown by Mr. J.W. Lang (sic)."
      From "Sketch Club Opens Winter Season's Work"
      Vancouver Daily Province, September 8 1919

" ... Mr. J.W. Laing (was represented by) by two very good water color landscapes; ... "
      From "Sketch Club Has Resumed Exhibitions"
      Vancouver Daily World, February 9 1920

"Miss M. Conran, Mrs. George T. Gilpin, Miss Batiste, Mr. Laing, and Mr. J. Scott, with two clever portraits in charcoal, all helped to keep up the credit of the club."
      From "Art Exhibits Fewer But Maintain Standard"
      Vancouver Daily Province, April 13 1920

"Mr. J.W. Laing (was represented) by a water color of "Seaside Park, Howe Sound," and "Mountain Reflections""
      From "Vancouver Sketch Club"
      Western Woman's Weekly, October 9 1920

"Mr. Laing also does Mrs. (sic) Fripp's tuition great justice in his three fine water colors, one of which "Sunset, English Bay," sold early in the afternoon."
      From "Annual Exhibit by Sketch Club"
      Vancouver Province, December 6 1920

"The exhibitors were: ... Mr. J.W. Laing, four landscapes (water color); ... "
      From "Many View Sketch Club Exhibit and Much Work Shown"
      Vancouver Sun, November 7 1921

"Mrs. (sic) John Laing's sombre toned watercolor of Boundary Bay was most successful."
      From "Sketch Club Tea Enjoyable Event; Good Work Shown"
      Vancouver Daily World, April 3 1922

" ... J.W. Laing, ... and others are exhibiting in the various classes."
      From "Bargains in Art" by D.S.M.
      Vancouver Sun, December 1 1933

"Artists represented in the group comprise the following ... J.W. Laing ... "
      From "Maritime Art Association"
      Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin, November (?) 1939


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