L to R: "Me", Portrait of Maud, "Rex & Me"
| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
Another article by Maud, about taking design class from Fred Varley, was published in the second annual issue of The Paint Box. Maud was a founding member of PASOVAS, the Pioneer Students of Vancouver Art School. This was a group formed by those students who had attended the school in its first year and a half of its operation.
Maud's father was one of the developers of Savary Island as a vacation resort in 1910, and she traveled there as early as 1908. She spent many summers on the island, and created a large number of paintings there. Maud exhibited her paintings extensively in Vancouver for over forty years, in both juried and open exhibitions. One of her paintings was selected from the juried Fifth B.C. Artists exhibition to go to an exhibition in Chilliwack. Others were selected for the All-Canadian Exhibition of 1932, and the B.C. Society of Fine Arts 40th and 50th Annual Retrospective exhibitions.
Although her classes under Varley had given her a good look at his bold style and new ways of painting, Maud continued to paint traditional landscapes, seascapes, and simple scenes around the home and neighbourhood, and from her travels around south-west British Columbia. Her flights of fancy extended to dinosaurs roaming around Kitsilano Point, and flowery meadows with larks singing and rainbows in the sky. Maud also carved and painted wooden jewellry for years, of such subjects as wolves, birds, and other animals.
Maud submitted two watercolours to the VAG's 1932 All Canadian Exhibition. One was accepted, and Estero Peak was not. The All Canadian was the biggest show in the gallery's very short history. A collection of work from across Canada was displayed alongside a curated collection of work by BC artists. Having work in that show would have been a highlight of her career. Maud continued her success in 1932 with seven artworks included in the first PASOVAS exhibition at the VAG, and then three artworks accepted into the first annual BC Artists exhibition.
She showed work in the B.C. Artists Christmas exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1933.
In 1939 Sherman's watercolour painting "Addudals, Texada Island" in the 8th Annual B.C. Artists exhibition was selected (with 39 other works from the show) to be toured in the Maritime Provinces under the auspices of the Maritime Art Association.
During World War II the Shermans took a boarder into their house at 3642 Dundas Street - photographer Stuart Thomson. Maud's niece June had been hired as Thomson's assistant in 1939, and was later made his business partner. Thomson had arrived in Vancouver from Australia in 1910, and over the next fifty years took an estimated 50,000 pictures of Vancouver. Many of these pictures are on file at the Vancouver City Archives, the Vancouver Public Library North-West Room, and at the North Vancouver City Archives. A few of his personal photographs of the Sherman family at Christmas and New Year's parties remain in private collections.
Maud Sherman exhibited in many of the Society's annual exhibitions starting in 1920 and continuing to 1961. At age 20, she was one of the youngest artists ever to start exhibiting with the group.
Sherman 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.
A clipping of a poem by Maud, published in The Province in 1951, is currently in the collection of the Savary Island Heritage Society. The poem, titled "Vacation, British Columbia" is clearly about Savary Island ("long white beaches"), but it is not known why she would not "be getting any vacation this year...". Another poem, handwritten, is an undated love poem attributed to Maud Sherman, kept in a folder with the Vacation poem. It is not known to have been published, although it is quite possible that it was.
Maud remained active in the B.C. Society of Fine Arts almost until it closed in 1967, her own art-making brought to a halt just a few years earlier by a crippling disease that left her unable to hold a paintbrush. She died in 1976, in a care home in North Vancouver. She was cremated, but the disposition of those ashes is not known - Maud herself now having disappeared almost as completely as her history. She never married, had no known children, and both of her brother's children died without issue. That whole part of their family tree disappeared except for a few remaining family photographs, and the paintings and illustrations that are the heritage from Maud's sixty years of artistry in Vancouver and British Columbia.
| DATE | EXHIBITION | LOCATION |
| 2005 March 21 - June 24 | Places to Sketch (8 paintings) | Daily Grind Cafe, Vancouver |
| 2009 Nov. 16 - 2010 Jan. 10 | Miniatures, curated by Burnaby Art Gallery | Prittie Library, Burnaby |
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
| 1920 June | Vancouver Sketch Club Monthly Exhibition | (see clipping) |
| 1920 September | Vancouver Exhibition Vancouver Sketch Club | (see clipping) |
| 1920 September 18 - 25 | BCSFA 12th Annual Exhibition | Port Alberni |
| Sunrise On Savary | ||
| 1920 October 2 - ? | Vancouver Sketch Club Monthly Exhibition | (watercolour landscape) |
| (watercolour landscape) | ||
| 1927 June | VSDAA 2nd Annual Student Exhibition | (no information available) |
| 1930 May 31 - June 14 | BCSFA Spring Exhibition | The Witch Tree |
| The Eagle's Nest | ||
| 1930 Nov. 27 - Dec. 7 | PASOVAS PASOVAS Art Club Exhibition | Trout Pool, Phillips River |
| Mission Cliff Gardens, California | ||
| The Garden In Winter | ||
| Upcoast Fishing Stream | ||
| Euclataws | ||
| Dawn At Phillips River | ||
| Mouth of Phillips River | ||
| Suburbs In Winter | ||
| Sketch "Kitsilano Beach" | ||
| Sketch "Ambleside Slough" | ||
| Book Illustrations of Fish | ||
| Book Illustrations of Fish | ||
| Book Illustrations of Animals | ||
| Windblown Firs | ||
| 1932 May - June | VAG All Canadian Exhibition | Dawn at Phillips River |
| 1932 Sept. 17 - 30 | PASOVAS Club Exhibition | Illustration for Book |
| Johnny Mac's House, Philips River | ||
| Evening, Jervis Inlet | ||
| The Yuculta | ||
| Sunset | ||
| On the Beach | ||
| Winter Day | ||
| 1932 Oct. 5 - 30 | VAG B.C. Artists 1st Annual | Turn of the Tide, Yuculta |
| The Pool, Phillips River | ||
| Witch Trees | ||
| 1933 Sept. 22 - Oct. 15 | VAG B.C. Artists 2nd Annual | The House in the Valley |
| Wind Blown Firs | ||
| 1933 Dec. 1 - 17 | VAG B.C. Artists Christmas Exhibition | Jervis Inlet |
| Rocky Bay | ||
| 1934 Sept. 21 - Oct. 14 | VAG B.C. Artists 3rd Annual | Spring Song |
| Frederic Arm | ||
| 1934 Nov. 2 - Nov. 18 | PASOVAS Annual Exhibition | (watercolours, book illustrations) |
| 1934 Dec. 4 - Dec. 16 | VAG B.C. Artists Christmas Exhibition | Jim and Jane |
| Spring Song | ||
| 1935 Sept. 20 - Oct. 13 | VAG B.C. Artists 4th Annual | Sunday Afternoon |
| Copper, Pewter and Cloisonne | ||
| Humming Birds | ||
| Comox Street in Spring | ||
| Under the Vine Maples | ||
| 1936 Feb. 21 - Mar. 5 | PASOVAS Annual Exhibition | Sea Gulls |
| Dragonflies | ||
| 1936 Sept. 18 - Oct. 11 | VAG B.C. Artists 5th Annual | The Studio Window |
| Still Life | ||
| Under the Maples | ||
| 1936 Oct. 15 - 20 | VAG B.C. Artists Chilliwack Exhibition | The Studio Window |
| 1938 Sept. 16 - Oct. 9 | VAG B.C. Artists 7th Annual | Jervis Inlet |
| 1939 Sept. 15 - Oct. 8 | VAG B.C. Artists 8th Annual | Near Cultus Lake |
| The Golden Ears | ||
| Aduddal's, Texada Island | ||
| 1939 Oct. - ? | B.C. Artists 8th Annual Selections | Aduddal's, Texada Island |
| (Toured Maritime Provinces) | ||
| 1940 Sept. 20 - Oct. 13 | VAG B.C. Artists 9th Annual | Spring in the Woods |
| 1941 Sept. 26 - Oct. 19 | VAG B.C. Artists 10th Annual | Locarno |
| On the Island | ||
| 1942 May 15 - 31 | BCSFA 32nd Annual | Morning |
| Sea Loot | ||
| 1942 Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 | VAG B.C. Artists 11th Annual | High on a Windy Hill |
| 1942 Nov. 3 - 15 | FCA Red Cross Benefit | (no information available) |
| 1943 May 15 - June 6 | BCSFA 33rd Annual | Forest Moment |
| 1943 Sept. 25 - Oct. 20 | VAG B.C. Artists 12th Annual | By the Creek |
| By the Silvery Sea | ||
| 1944 May 13 - June 4 | BCSFA 34th Annual | The Creekmouth, Gillies Bay |
| On Texada | ||
| The House by the Sea | ||
| The House in the Grove | ||
| 1945 May 18 - June 10 | BCSFA 35th Annual | The Veterans |
| Rampikes | ||
| 1946 July 2 - 28 | VAG Jubilee Exhibition | Sea Loot |
| 1947 May 9 - June 1 | BCSFA 37th Annual | Golf at Savary |
| 1950 April 25 - May 14 | BCSA 40th Annual | Spring in the Woods |
| Trees on Savary | ||
| 1951 April 24 - May 13 | BCSFA 41st Annual | Edge of the Cliff, Savary |
| 1954 May 25 - June 13 | BCSFA 44th Annual | From Indian River |
| 1956 Feb. 26 - March 18 | BCSFA 46th Annual | Secret Lagoon |
| 1957 March 5 - 24 | BCSFA 47th Annual | Out Back |
| 1958 Feb. 4 - 22 | BCSFA 48th Annual | Channel Markers |
| 1960 May 22 - June 12 | BCSFA 50th Annual | South Shore, Savary |
| Arbutus Grove | ||
| 1961 May 10 - 28 | BCSFA 51st Annual | Abandoned Farm |
| 2000 | ECIAD Years Ahead of its Time | Wallpaper design |
COMPOSITION
"The Paint Box", Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts Annual, Spring 1928
MUSEUM AND ART NOTES, Vol. VI, No. 1
March 1931; 42 pages, illustrated black and white
Published by the Art, Historical and Scientific Association of Vancouver
Includes article by R.S. Sherman on
Savary Island
Pen & ink illustration by Maud Rees Sherman on page 12.
WHO'S WHO IN NORTHWEST ART (refer to
WWNA41)
Lists Maud Sherman as Secretary of PASOVAS 1940, address 1492 Harwood Street.
ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)
BRITISH COLUMBIA WOMEN ARTISTS 1885-1985 (refer to AGGV85)
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.
ARTISTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST - A Biographical Dictionary, 1600s - 1970
1993, by Maria Sharylen, published by McFarland
ISBN 0-89950-797-2; includes extensive 10 page index of groups and venues
Listing for Maud Sherman taken from Who's Who in Northwest Art
VANCOUVER ARTIST: Maud Sherman
1999 January; by Michael Clark, Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design.
Visions newsletter, Volume 5 Issue 2, page 6.
One page biography with 3 illustrations of her work.
STORMY WEATHER
1998; Maria Tippet, McLelland and Stewart, ISBN 0-7710-8524-9
See references pages 164 and 165 (mis-attribution as man).
LOOKING FOR MAUD, by Gary Sim, Sim Publishing
Unpublished narrative biography of the artist
Approx. 200 pages, illustrated
DAILY GRIND EXHIBITIONS (refer to DG05/DG07/DG16)
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 references to R.S. Sherman,
Maud Rees Sherman, Laurencia
Herchmer.
THE FECKLESS COLLECTION (refer to FECK18)
GREATER VANCOUVER ART GALLERIES 1954-2020
(refer to GVAG20)
2 references to Sherman.
CITY & PROVINCIAL DIRECTORIES 1932-34 (refer to DIR)
B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE (refer to BCVS)
"May 19, 1913. Then there was the hard winter. A good many tugs were wrecked,
the Rosine was a total loss, the Cheslakee sank but is in the docks now being
repaired. The Cheslakee was always a little too high for her length but it
wasn't enough to hurt. The way it happened was she was going up on her regular
trip, and just when she was in the middle of the passage between Powel River
and Van Anda she got into such a heavy sea that they put back to Van Anda.
She always tipped a little in making a turn but this was nothing if they
hadn't left the ports open. But the ports had been left open so she heeled
over to port, she couldn't go to starboard her usual direction when listing
on account of the wharf so heeled to port and went down on her beam ends
and sank. My stateroom the last time we went up on the Cheslakee was on the
port side and would be the first to fill. Two girls where drowned in papa's
and mama's. While she was being repaired a great big boat the Chelhosin of the
outer passage was put on. We went up on her at Easter. Shes almost exactly the
same as the Camosun same size and everything she's a beauty. It was kind of
rough going up but you'd never notice it, that boat slid through the waves as
though she didn't know they were there. She looked splendid with her big black
hull and long rows of cabin windows. They kept her clean too with white decks
and shining brass. When she hit Savary Island wharf she broke two or three piles.
Its a monstrous wharf too. If it had been a small one it would have collapsed like
a lot of shavings. We came back on the Cowichan another big boat. On her I
experienced the first and and I hope last experiment of standing against the funnel
of a big steamer when whistling. We have a summer hotel on the Island now also a
post office is to be opened on the Twenty Fourth. Papa's postmaster."
From "The Diary of Maud Rees Sherman 1907 - 1915" (private collection)
"June 4 1913. We go to Savary on the twenty eighth of this month. We are
going on the old Cassiar. It will be nice going on her again. My only objection is
that she is too slow. Mama doesn't want to go on her but papa says it will either
be the Cassiar or Cheakamus (Cheslakee) and mama absolutely refuses to go on a boat
that has once been down to the bottom of the sea. The Cheakamus is safer than the
Cassiar though. The Cassiar is nearly as old as Vancouver, and Vancouver is
twenty-seven years old. Then whenever she gets a fresh hole in her bottom they
fill it up with cement. So by now she is nearly all cement. We have been having
fine hot weather lately. My I wish I was at Savary."
From "The Diary of Maud Rees Sherman 1907 - 1915" (private collection)
"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 Maud Sherman,
flower girl..."
From "Savary Island" (fundraiser for the French Red Cross)
Vancouver Province, August 10 1918
"Mr. R.S. Shearman (sic) with his son and
daughter-in-law have returned to Vancouver. Mrs. Shearman and Miss Maud
will remain for some time on the island."
From "Savary Island"
Vancouver Province, September 5 1919
"The poetic side of her subjects appeals very stongly to Miss Maud Sherman."
From "In the World of Art"
Western Woman's Weekly, June 5 1920
"...and Miss Maud Sherman carried off first prize for landscape in water colors."
From "Artists and Their Doings"
Western Woman's Weekly, September 18 1920
"Miss Maud Sherman had two water color landscapes, both of which were excellent
in colour and drawing."
From "Artists and Their Doings"
Western Woman's Weekly, October 9 1920
"... and Miss Winnifred Shearman and Miss Maud Shearman (sic)
suitably rewarded the efforts of those who tried their luck at fishing."
From "Annual Carnival at Savary Island Splendid Success"
( unknown ), August 9 1921
"A fishing pond, run by Miss Winnie Shearman and Miss Maud
Shearman (sic), proved to be a huge delight to young and old
alike and many were the wonderful bargains "fished" up for
the modest sum of ten cents."
From "Savary Island"
( unknown ), ?, 1921
"The party consisted of Mr. R. Sherman and Miss Sherman ... "
From "Sketching Trip Enjoyed"
Western Woman's Weekly, July 29 1922
"In an article called "Places To Sketch,"
in "The Paint Box," the first annual publication of the
Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts,
M. Sherman has painted several word pictures of Vancouver
and environs: ... "
From "Vancouver Offers Plenty of Material For Art Students"
Vancouver Province (?) 1926
"Many other well-known artists are represented, including ... Maud Sherman ... "
From "Bargains in Art" by D.S.M.
Vancouver Sun, December 1 1933
"... while Maud Sherman is represented by small black and
white drawings of animals ... "
From "Pasovas Club Has Splendid Annual Show"
Vancouver Province, November 6 1934
"Margaret Williams, Maud
Shearman (sic), and Lilias Farley are well
represented in the show, the latter both in the fine art and handicrafts
sections. Apart from her original water colors, Miss
Shearman shows some of her animal book illustrations."
From "Pasovas Art Show"
Vancouver Sun, November 6 1934
"... Maud Sherman ... are all represented."
From "PASOVAS EXHIBIT - Pioneer Art Students' Show"
Vancouver Province, February 21 1936
"Margaret Williams, Irene Hoffar Reid,
Maud Sherman, and others, attain that effect which contrasting colors afford, the
last named in "Sea Gulls" and "Dragon Flies" offering
something distinctive in treatment of familiar objects. ... "
From "PASOVAS CLUB - Annual Display on View at Art Gallery"
News Herald, February 1936
"Eventually we found the studio
in a sunny corner, and Maisie Robertson
the carver in wood. She shares a studio with Maude
(sic) Sherman, already well known for her oils and water colors."
From "GRADUATES IN ART" by Cintra
(unknown newspaper), April 25 1936
"Artists represented in the group comprise the following ... Maud Sherman ... "
From "Maritime Art Association"
Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin, November (?) 1939
" ... together with oil and watercolour paintings by ...
Maud Sherman ... all contribute much to this extraordinary show."
From "B.C. Society of Fine Arts
Display Sets New High Mark" by Palette
Vancouver Province, May 16 1942
"Well-known Vancouver artists recently elected (BCSFA) members
include ... Maud Sherman ... The society now includes most of the prominent
painters and sculptors in the province and is the leading exhibiting
organization west of Toronto."
From "B.C. Artists' Display To Calgary
For Exhibition" by Palette
Vancouver Province, May-June 1942
"Among those contibuting paintings and drawings are: ... Maud Sherman ... "
From "Noted Artists Offer Paintings For Red Cross"
Vancouver Province (presumed), November 1942
"Other artists showing creditable work are ... Maud Sherman ..."
From "Notable Exhibits of Artists' Work"
by Mildred Valley Thornton
Vancouver Sun (presumed), May 1944
"Gazing at J.W.G. Macdonald's painting ... are: ... Miss Maud Sherman ... "
From "For and about WOMEN"
Vancouver Province, April 22 1950
"June's aunt was noted artist Maud Rees Sherman. ... "
From "History's Shutterbug" by Len Corbin
Vancouver Courier, January 27 2006