BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Rose (Rosa) Harriet Macdonald Willis
(m William Arthur Willis)

1866 - February 15 1960

Island Arts and Crafts Society
Victoria Sketch Club (Life Member)

Rose Macdonald Willis was born in Newport, Scotland, in 1866. She moved to Montreal in 1870, where she studied under William Raphael, later teaching painting for several years in Montreal. She arrived in B.C. in 1913, where she lived in Victoria, and studied under Thomas Fripp.

She exhibited with the Island Arts and Crafts Society from 1913 to 1941. She was a painter in oil and watercolour, and also exhibited in the crafts section of the exhibitions. The 1921 catalogue noted that she was an Instructor in "China Painting and Water Color Painting" at 388 Sunset Avenue. She was on the Committee for the 1940 and 1941 annual exhibitions.

She exhibited work at the Art Association of Montreal in 1909 and 1912.

She exhibited work at the Vancouver Exhibition in 1930.

In 1932 Willis was a signatory to an agreement to boycott the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa for their exhibition and purchase policies related to Canadian artists. She was noted as being a Victoria artist.

She had a solo exhibition in Victoria, November 1939.

She died in Victoria in 1960 at the age of 76.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1913 Oct. 16 - 18 IACS Alexandra Club 4th Ann. On Browne Lake
Val Morin
On the North River, Quebec
On Elk Lake
Lake Raymond, Quebec
Donaldson's Lake, Quebec
Lion's Head
Pussy
Vase, China (Crafts)
Chocolate Pot (Crafts)
Cup and Saucer (Crafts)
China Painted Brooch (Crafts)
Portrait "Dorothy" on China (Crafts)
China Vase (Crafts)
China Vase (Crafts)
Portrait on China (Crafts)
1914 Nov. 19 - 21 IACS Alexandra Club 5th Ann. At Elk Lake
Study of Roses
Mount Baker
China Dish (Crafts)
China Nut Bowl (Crafts)
Tea Set, China, Painted (Crafts)
1915 Nov. 23 - 27 IACS Union Bank Bldg 6th Ann. Little Brown Home in the West
Grey Day at Uplands
Uplands Beach
Painted China Cup and Saucer (Crafts)
Painted China Plate (Crafts)
Painted China Cream Jug (Crafts)
Painted China Cream Jug (Crafts)
Painted China Sugar Basin (Crafts)
Painted China Cup and Saucer (Crafts)
Painted China Trinket Bowl (Crafts)
Painted China Sandwich Tray (Crafts)
Painted China Cup and Saucer (Crafts)
Painted China Cup and Saucer (Crafts)
1920 Oct. 25 - 30 IACS Belmont Bldg 11th Ann. Esquimalt
A Misty Day
Broom
1921 Oct. 18 - 25 IACS Belmont Bldg 12th Ann. The Olympics
Autumn
Mt. Baker from Saanich
Collection of China Painting (Crafts)
1922 Oct. 19 - 25 IACS Belmont Bldg 13th Ann. Goldstream
Study of Violets
Summer Time
View on Saanich Arm
The Camp Kettle
Sugar Making, St. Hiliare, Quebec
Donaldson Lake
Collection of Hand Painted China (Crafts)
1923 Oct. 23 - 30 IACS H.B.C. Bldg 14th Ann. Olympics
Qualicum, B.C.
Hills, Hatzic
Saanich Arm
Evening, Saanich Arm
A Touch of Autumn
Collection of Hand Painted China (Crafts)
1925 Oct. 20 - 31 IACS Crystal Garden 16th Ann. Early Fall, Sidney, B.C.
Old Timers
A Breezy Day
Lover's Walk, Victoria, B.C.
Hand Painted Tea Tray (Crafts)
1927 Oct. 25 - 31 IACS Belmont Bldg 18th Ann. Sunny Lane
When Autumn Casts Her Golden Glow
1928 Oct. 23 - 31 IACS Belmont Bldg 19th Ann. Dogwood
Dogwood
Parksville
Pheasant
Chrysanthemums
Exhibit of B.C Hand Made Pottery (Crafts)
1929 Oct. 22 - 31 IACS Belmont Bldg 20th Ann. Sproat Lake
Broom on Gonzales Heights
1930 Aug. 6 - 16 VanExh   Oil Paintings & Water-colours Pheasant
1930 Oct. 28 - Nov. 8 IACS Board of Trade Bldg 21st Ann. Garden Scene
Beacon Hill Park
Broom, Beacon Hill
Moonlight, Shawnigan
1931 Oct. 20 - 31 IACS Belmont Bldg 22nd Ann. Early Autumn
June Climbers
1932 Oct. 11 - 22 IACS Belmont Bldg 23rd Ann. Goldstream
A Victoria Garden
Shawnigan
1933 Mar. 3 - 15 VAG   IACS Vancouver Island Exhibition Goldstream
Beauty Spot
1933 Oct. 24 - Nov. 4 IACS Belmont House 24th Ann. Gray Day, Shoal Bay
Goldstream
Cottage Cliffside
1934 Oct. 22 - 27 IACS Belmont House 25th Ann. In the V.O.N. Garden
Goldstream
Observatory Hill, Saanich
1935 Nov. 4 - 9 IACS Belmont House 26th Ann. James' Seed Farm
Autumn Tints
Bowl of Roses
1936 Oct. 26 - 31 IACS Coast Hall 27th Ann. At the Turn of the Road
African Marigolds
1937 Oct. 20 - 27 IACS Belmont House 28th Ann. Wintry Day
Flower Study
Flower Study (by M. Willis)
1938 Oct. 20 - 29 IACS Belmont House 29th Ann. Gems From My Garden
Chrysanthemums
Vista
1939 Mar. 14 - 26 VAG   IACS Vancouver Island Exhibition A Flower Study
Moonlight on Shawnigan Lake
1940 April 8 - 13 IACS Crystal Garden 30th Ann. Study of Stocks
Dahlias
Fire Screen, Dogwood Design (Crafts)
1941 April 28 - May 3 IACS Crystal Garden 31st Ann. Peggy's Wedding Flowers
For Mother's Day
Cowichan River

References

ISLAND ARTS & CRAFTS CLUB 5th ANNUAL EXHIBITION (refer to IACS14)

WHO'S WHO IN NORTHWEST ART (refer to WWNA41)
      Short entry for Willis.

EARLY PAINTERS AND ENGRAVERS IN CANADA (refer to H70)

ISLAND ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY - List of Exhibitors

ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)

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

MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - SPRING EXHIBITIONS 1880 - 1970 (refer to MM88)
      Two exhibitions listed with six paintings by Willis.

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      4 references cited for Willis: including MM and WWNA above.

CITY & PROVINCIAL DIRECTORIES 1915/1922-23/1926 (refer to DIR)

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

Clippings

" ... the 118 artists who have signed the agreement to date ... include ... Rose M. Willis ... "
      From "Canadian Artists Unite to Boycott National Gallery" by The Canadian Press
      Montreal Gazette, December 8 1932

Obituary, Victoria Daily Colonist, June 2 1960


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