BC ARTISTS: Royal Canadian Academy of Arts

Royal Canadian Academy of Arts

ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS -Exhibitions and Members 1880 - 1979
NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA (additional exhibitions list)

1880 - present

A selection of exhibition catalogues

The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts was founded in 1880 by the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada. The Academy hosted annual exhibitions from 1880 onward, and eighteen travelling shows were created from selections of work in the annual shows, The Academy also organized twelve special exhibitions prior to 1979.

The Academy was seen in British Columbia as primarily an eastern arts organization, although occasionally a member of the Academy would move west, or paint in the west. The first western ARCA was Sophie Pemberton, who was invited to be a member in 1906. She was also the first western member to be born in British Columbia. Thirty years later in 1936 W.P. Weston was the next western artist to be made an Associate Member - a long drought between representatives to the Academy.

Since then a larger number of western painters have joined the Academy, and more members moved west or painted in the west, so that British Columbia has slowly become better represented in the Academy.

Academicians who exhibited in Vancouver between 1890 and 1950 include:

Robert Russell Reid (Alberta)
William Edwin Atkinson (Ontario)
Frederick Marlett Bell-Smith (England)
Bertram Charles Binning (Alberta)
Claude W. Gray (?)
Lawren Stewart Harris (Ontario)
Edward John Hughes (British Columbia)
John M.A. Korner (Czechoslovakia)
A.C. Leighton (England)
Arthur Lismer (England)
J.W.G. (Jock) Macdonald (Scotland)
Thomas Mower Martin (England)
Lucius Richard O'Brien (Ontario)
Sophie Pemberton (British Columbia)
Joseph Plaskett (British Columbia)
Charles H. Scott (England)
Kathleen Shackleton (Ireland)
Jack Shadbolt (England)
E.S. Shrapnel (England)
Herbert Siebner (Germany)
Gordon Smith (England)
Frederick H. Varley (England)
Plato von Ustinov (Israel)
W.P.Weston (England)

Exhibitions (in Vancouver)

DATE	TITLE
1936 April 7 - 26	Travelling Show - Watercolours & Oil Paintings

References

PASSIONATE SPIRITS - A History of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts 1880 - 1980
      1980, by Rebecca Sisler, R.C.A.
      Clarke Irwin & Co., ISBN 0-7720-1308-X
      296 pages; illustrated; foreword by John C. Parkin, President, R.C.A.
      Includes list of Presidents and Members; list of illustrations; index

ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS - Exhibitions and Members 1880 - 1979
1981, Evelyn de R. McMann, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 0-8020-2366-5

Clippings

"World of Art" by Lucy Van Gogh
Saturday Night, November 17 1934

"The collection consists of 69 paintings by leading Canadian artists..."
From "At the Art Gallery" by (unknown)
West End Breeze, April 2 1936

"Modern Canadian Art Wins Acclaim" by E.N.B.
Daily Province, June 10? 1937

"Recognition of Western talent continues. In the recently-opened Sixty-second annual exhibition of the Royal Canadian Academy in Toronto appears the largest number of works by British Columbia artists ever displayed in this important show. Eleven exhibits were accepted this year in contrast with two a year ago. (continues) ..."
From "Western Artists Capture Interest At Toronto Show" by Palette
Daily Province, November 20 1941

"Local Artists Contributors In Royal Academy Exhibition" by Palette
Daily Province, April 16 1942