BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Clara Louise Neads Millar (also Miller)
(married Thomas Bonne Millar)

c1888 - ?

groups

Clara Louise Neads Millar was born in Bowmanville, Ontario, c1888. This date is given in a number of sources, but as well a date of 1890 is given on a card file at the VAG Library, and in Who's Who in Northwest Art, 1941, the artist herself gives a date of 1893. She was an orphan, and she married Mr. Thomas Bonne Millar of Scotland in 1905. If the marriage date is correct, then it is quite unlikely that she was born in 1893 as she states in WWNA, as that would mean she married at the age of twelve. If born in 1888, she married at the age of seventeen, which is more likely.

She studied art in Seattle and at the Toronto Art School. She also studied in Paris, France in 1910 before moving to B.C. in 1913 and opening a studio in Vancouver. She was a painter in watercolour and oil, and also did porcelain and pottery decorations.

In 1903 she exhibited her work in the Dominion Exhibition of Art held at Winnipeg, winning a gold medal for best watercolour and a silver medal in oils.

She exhibited in the 1932 All Canadian Exhibition, the first "block-buster" exhibition held at the newly opened Vancouver Art Gallery. She later had one of the earliest solo exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery, an exhibition of flower paintings.

She exhibited in a number of the annual B.C. Artists exhibitions, from the inaugural 1932 show until 1942 , winning a bronze medal in 1938.

In 1934 she had work in the RCA's 55th Annual exhibition, held at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

She exhibited at David Spencer's Department store in 1936. She also exhibited at the Grange, Toronto, according to her entry in Who's Who in Northwest Art. She was also listed as a teacher for the Vancouver School Board.

Her husband died in Colquitz on December 21, 1942, at the age of sixty, according to B.C. Vital Statistics. No reference to Mrs. Millar's date of death was located on-line.


SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION LOCATION
1934 May 4 - 13 Solo Show Vancouver Art Gallery

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1932 May - July VAG   All Canadian Exhibition Astors and Phlox
Zinnias
1932 Oct. 5 - 30 VAG   B.C. Artists 1st Annual Chrysanthemums
1933 Sept. 22 - Oct. 15 VAG   B.C. Artists 2nd Annual Dahlias and Chrysanthemums
Marigolds
1934 Sept. 21 - Oct. 14 VAG   B.C. Artists 3rd Annual Gladiolii
Flowers
1935 Sept. 20 - Oct. 15 VAG   B.C. Artists 4th Annual Flowers
Zinnias
Hollyhocks
1936 Sept. 18 - Oct. 11 VAG   B.C. Artists 5th Annual Flowers
Peonies
Flowers
1936 Oct. 15 - 20 VAG   B.C. Artists Chilliwack Exhibition Flowers
Flowers
1938 Sept. 16 - Oct. 9 VAG   B.C. Artists 7th Annual Summer Flowers
Dahlias
1939 Sept. 15 - Oct. 8 VAG   B.C. Artists 8th Annual Shasta Daisies
Flowers
Fisherman's Wharf, Seattle
1942 Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 VAG   B.C. Artists 11th Annual Zinnias

References

WHO'S WHO IN NORTHWEST ART (refer to WWNA41)
      Good summary of career; birthdate given as 1893.

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

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

A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)
      Short biography with two references.

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      6 references cited for Millar.

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

CITY & PROVINCIAL DIRECTORIES 1932-34 (refer to DIR)

Clippings

"Vancouver Artist Honoured Abroad" by Wayfarer
      Vancouver Province, May 11 1934

"As in previous years, three bronze medals were awarded for work of a high order of merit in Watercolour, Black and White, and Sculpture, respectively. The names of the successful competitors follow:- Watercolour: Mrs. Clara L. Millar ("Dahlias")."
     From "Medal Awards in B.C. Artists' Exhibition"
     Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin Vol. 6 No. 2 October 1938
     Information provided courtesy Joanna Spurling, VAG Library & Archives

"Artists represented in the group comprise the following ... Clara L. Millar ... "
      From "Maritime Art Association"
      Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin, November (?) 1939


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