BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Richard (Dick) Walter Major

November 20 1899 - October 22 1984

Atelier Sketch Club (Member)
Federation of Canadian Artists (Founding Member 1941)
B.C. Society of Fine Arts (Associate Member 1952-1956)


Richard Walter Major was born in Toronto in 1899, and spent the first half of his life in Eastern Canada. He worked for Grip as an illustrator from a young age, then served in World War I. He later illustrated books for J.M. Dent and Sons, such as Gay Adventurers, first published in 1947 and reprinted many times subsequently.

He exhibited five paintings with the Royal Canadian Academy between 1932 and 1940.

In 1938 he exhibited a decorative panel in the 55th Annual Spring Exhibition of the Art Association of Montreal. His address was given as 7782 Champagneur Ave., Montreal in the exhibition catalogue.

He exhibited in the annual B.C. Artists exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery from 1942 to 1945, 1948, and from 1950 to 1952.

He exhibited in the Seattle Art Museum's annual Northwest Artists exhibition in 1943.

Major exhibited his work in the B.C. Society of Fine Arts annual exhibitions in 1943, 1944, 1952, and 1953.

He had work in the 1945 B.C. At Work exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Major 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.

He exhibited as a Member in the 1948 Annual Exhibition of the Atelier Sketch Club (Member).

In 1977 the artist was living in Burnaby. He was still living in Burnaby when he died in 1984, his occupation noted as "Artist - Retired."


SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION LOCATION
1945 Feb 27 - March 18 Solo exhibition VAG

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1942 July 7 - Sept. 2 VAG   B.C. Artists 1st Annual Summer The Croaking Frog
1942 Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 VAG   B.C. Artists 11th Annual Evelyn
Lake Memphramagog
1942 Nov. 3 - 15 FCA   Red Cross Benefit (no information available)
1943 May 15 - June 6 BCSFA   33rd Annual David
The Prodigal Son
1943 Sept. 25 - Oct. 20 VAG   B.C. Artists 12th Annual Storm Clouds over Mt. Royal
1944 May 13 - June 4 BCSFA   34th Annual Betty
1944 Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 VAG   B.C. Artists 13th Annual Still Life
Enigma
1945 Sept. 22 - Oct. 21 VAG   B.C. Artists 14th Annual Near Pavilion Lake, B.C.
Main Street, Clinton
1945 ? - ? FCA   B.C. Artists Selections from 14th Ann. Near Pavilion Lake, B.C.
1945 Nov. 13 - Dec. 2 Labour Arts Guild   B.C. At Work Swing Grinder
Casting
Drawing
1946 July 2 - 28 VAG   Jubilee Exhibition Evelyn
1948 Mar. 23 - Apr. 1 Atelier Sketch Club   9th Annual Exhibition Pavilion, B.C.
Portrait
Casting
Tramp Steamer
Sun Set, Spanish Banks
1948 Sept. 18 - Oct. 10 VAG   B.C. Artists 17th Annual Dance of Life
1949 July 12 - July 31 VAG   Stanley Park in Pictures Sunrise, Beaver Lake
1949 Nov. 22 - Dec. 11 VAG   First B.C. Graphic Electronics (rejected)
White on Black (rejected)
Casting (did not come in)
1950 Nov. 28 - Dec. 17 VAG   B.C. Artists 19th Annual Prehistoric Rock
Fragments in Time
1951 Nov. 27 - Dec. 16 VAG   B.C. Artists 20th Annual Autumn Leaves
1952 April 1 - 20 VAG   BCSA 42nd Annual Northern B.C.
1952 Oct. 21 - Nov. 16 VAG   B.C. Artists 21st Annual Metamorphosis
Dead Tree
1953 May 5 - 31 VAG   BCSA 43rd Annual The Pier
Oil Drums and Pipes

References

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM - NORTHWEST ARTISTS EXHIBITIONS 1914 - 1975
     Refer to NWA BC artists by exhibition
     Refer to NWAA BC artists alphabetically

GAY ADVENTURERS by Dickie, Ricker, Tyner, & Woodhead
      1947 (1st edition); published by J.M. Dent & Sons
      438 pages; Illustrated by R.W. Major; cover and endpaper illustrations by Illingworth Kerr
      One of the Canadian Parade Readers; reprinted at least seven times to 1959

VISUAL ARTS BRITISH COLUMBIA (refer to VABC77)

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

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

A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      4 references cited for Major

VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY - B.C. ARTISTS FILES (refer to VPL)

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

Clippings

"Interesting aspects of B.C. scenery are also shown by ... R.W. Major ... "
      From "Colorful Display Presented In Exhibition By B.C. Artists" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, September 19 1942

"Richard W. Major has an interesting oil of Lake Memphramengog ... "
      From "B.C. Artists Evading War's Responsibility" by Mildred Valley Thornton
      Vancouver Sun, September 26 1942

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

"Large and unusual canvases which are certain to attract attention and cause discussion include: ... "The Prodigal Son" by R.W. Major, another highly individual and symbolic canvas; ... "
      From "Fine Creative Spirit Marks Exhibition By B.C. Artists"
      Vancouver Province, May 21 1943

"Among other prominent exhibitors are ... R.W. Major ... "
      From "Summer Show at Gallery Major Event for Art Lovers" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, July 7 1943

"Unusual pictures, entirely different in style, are ... Richard Major's more sophisticated dramatic scene in a foundry, "Casting."
      From "B.C. Industry Lives in Gallery Display"
      Newspaper unknown, (November 1945)


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