BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Mrs. William Webster

dates

Vancouver Art Association (Member 1890)

Mrs. Webster was one of the earliest artists to exhibit in Vancouver, and in 1889 was a founding member of the first important art organization in Vancouver, the Vancouver Art Association. She exhibited in the Association's First Annual Exhibition in 1890. The exhibition catalogue gives the name of the Art Association's Secretary as Annie B. Webster, possibly Mrs. Webster.

In 1889 she operated Mrs. Webster's Art Bazaar at 217 Hastings Street.

Mrs. Webster was the wife of the first manager of the Union Steamship Company. She started an art school in the early 1890s in Vancouver. She later re-married as Mrs. Richards, and moved to Honolulu.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1890 October 6 - 11 V.A.A.   1st Annual Exhibition Tea Roses
Pansies

References

Clippings

"The association has made a most creditable beginning, which is largely due to the energy displayed by Mrs. Wm. Webster, who has been the principal worker in the movement, and to whom the thanks of the public are due for the successful launching of the association."
      From "Art Exhibition"
      Victoria Weekly Colonist, July 5 1889

"In this connection it should be mentioned, parenthetically, that Mr. Will Ferris, who became the first curator of the Museum, stated that, as far back as 1889, Captain and Mrs. Mellon, Mrs. W. Webster and himself met in a small store on Hastings Street and started in a very small way an Art Association."
     From "Vancouver First Cultural Association by Noel Robinson
     Vancouver City Museum Golden Jubilee 1894 - 1944 Special Issue of Museum & Art Notes

"Of these survivors - all more than four-score years of age - one, Mrs. Banfield, has rendered invaluable service as chairman of one of the committees that has organized the present Jubilee commemoration. Another, Mrs. Richards, whose first husband was Captain Webster, first manager of the Union Steamship Company here, played an active part in the earliest deliberations of the Association, and prior to that, herself established a pioneer art school and organized monthly discussions in an unused part of her husband's office in a room on Hastings Street near Cambie. From a letter received from her recently by Major Matthews, city archivist, it is apparent that she is still keenly interested in the progress of the Association and Museum."
      From "Vancouver First Cultural Association by Noel Robinson
     Vancouver City Museum Golden Jubilee 1894 - 1944 Special Issue of Museum & Art Notes


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