Edith Agnes Smith (October 2, 1867 – 1954) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

painter and teacher. She was one of the original members of the

Maritime Art Association The Maritime Art Association (1935–1945) was a Canadian regional alliance of art clubs and societies, public schools, universities, social organizations, service and civic groups, artists, art students and art appreciators. As the first organi ...

and served as President of the Nova Scotia Museum of Fine Arts.

Biography

She was born in Halifax,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

on October 2, 1867, one of four children of Benjamin Smith, a well known Halifax dry goods merchant and Anna Maria Smith. She studied art at the

Victoria School of Art and Design NSCAD University, also known as the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design or NSCAD, is a public art university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university is a co-educational institution that offers bachelor's and master's degrees. The uni ...

. She continued her studies at the

Chelsea School of Art Chelsea College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London based in London, United Kingdom, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation. It offers further and higher educat ...

in London, United Kingdom and the

Boston Art Club The Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, serves to help its members, as well as non-members, to access the world of fine art. It currently has more than 250 members. History The Boston Art Club was first conceived in Boston in 1854 with the co ...

in Boston, Massachusetts. In Halifax Smith was involved in the artistic community as a member of the Nova Scotia Museum of Fine Arts and working to find the museum a permanent home. She was also involved with assembling the nascent museum's collection, including works by works by Frances Jones Bannerman, Lewis Smith,

Stanley Royle Stanley Royle RBA, (1888–1961) was an English post-impressionist landscape painter and illustrator who lived for most of his life in and around Sheffield (England), and in Canada, and was inspired by views of landscape, sea and snow. Early ...

, Marion Bond, and

Arthur Lismer Arthur Lismer, LL. D. (27 June 1885 – 23 March 1969) was an English-Canadian painter, member of the Group of Seven and educator. He is known primarily as a landscape painter and for his paintings of ships in dazzle camouflage. Early life ...

. From 1915-1950 Smith taught at the Halifax Ladies' College (now

Armbrae Academy Armbrae Academy is an independent, university preparatory, co-educational, non-denominational day school from Preschool to Grade 12 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is accredited by and a member of Canadian Accredited Independent Schools. Fa ...

). She exhibited her art frequently at the Nova Scotia Society of Artists, the Maritime Art Association, and the

National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (french: Musée des beaux-arts du Canada), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the l ...

. Smith died at Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia in 1954.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Edith 1867 births 1954 deaths Canadian people of British descent Artists from Nova Scotia People from Halifax, Nova Scotia Canadian women painters 19th-century Canadian painters 20th-century Canadian painters 19th-century Canadian women artists 20th-century Canadian women artists Alumni of Chelsea College of Arts NSCAD University alumni