Women's Art Association Of Canada
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The Women's Art Association of Canada (WAAC) is an organization founded in 1887 to promote and support women artists and craftswomen in Canada, including artists in the visual media, performance artists and writers. At one time, it had almost 1,000 members. Although smaller today, it still plays an active role in fundraising and providing scholarships for young artists.


Inception

In 1886 the young Canadian artist Mary Dignam (1857–1938) returned from six years in Europe, where she had supported herself by organizing art tours for young ladies in Italy and the Netherlands. She joined the staff of Miss E.K. Westmacott's Associated Artists' School of Art and Design, founded in Toronto in 1884, which taught handicrafts to women. She began to teach classes in drawing, painting and modelling in the school's studio on the 2nd floor of the Arcade building. In 1887 Dignam created a young women's artists organization which shared the premises of the handicrafts school. The organization was part of the Lyceum Club. After two years, Dignam replaced Miss Westmacott as president of the school. In 1890 Dignam incorporated the artist's organization as the Women's Art Club. It was renamed the Women's art Association of Canada in 1892. Dignam wrote later, "We had a Royal Academy branch in Toronto but I found I had to do something to open the door for women and the only way seemed to be the organization of the Women's Art Association." The association adopted the motto of the
Plantin Press The Plantin Press at Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest ...
of Antwerp, ''Labore et Constantia'' (Labour and Constancy), the colours of red and white and the wild rose as emblem.


Objectives

The goal of the association was to encourage and support Canadian women artists, including those involved in branches of fine art, applied and performance arts. According to the 1907 ''Bill No.30 An Act To Incorporate The Women's Art Association of Canada'', "The objects of the Association shall be the creating of a general interest in art and the encouragement of women's work for the purpose of mutual help and co-operation of its members, the establishment of art lectures and reading clubs, the holding of exhibitions of painting, designs, sculpture, engraving and the industrial arts, and the encouragement and development of the art handicrafts and home industries of Canada." In a 1917 article in ''
Woman's Century ''Woman's Century'' was the official organ of the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC), published in Toronto between 1913 and 1921. The magazine was relatively Conservatism, conservative, and supported World War I, but stood up for Feminism ...
'' the WAAC stated, "Service is the keynote to happiness. Every part of the Art Association's activities is based on service to the individual, to the community, and to the nation." The 1919 ''National Council of Women of Canada Yearbook'' defined the purpose of the WAAC as "to create a general interest in art, to encourage art handicrafts and home industries, and to establish art lectures and exhibitions of painting, sculpture and design." The yearbook added that "In this way it hopes to supply in some measure that great need of the artist: a public able to understand and trained to appreciate the best in art." The WAAC appreciated and promoted the different cultural heritages of native Canadians, French Canadians and immigrants from different countries.


Early years

The first branches after the 1892 incorporation in Toronto were founded in
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
,
London, Ontario London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River (Ontario), Thames River and N ...
, and
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
. The
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, branch was established in 1894. Late in 1893 the WAAC became the first women's organization to affiliate with the
National Council of Women of Canada National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...
, which had been founded on the initiative of Lady Aberdeen, wife of the
Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
from 1893 to 1898. The WAAC elected Lady Aberdeen as patron. This established a tradition that has been followed since then by all the wives of Governors General. Florence Deeks, who in 1912 prepared a "historical sketch" of the early years of the association, seems likely to have joined in the mid-1890s. The group held thirteen annual exhibitions from 1889 to 1901, and occasional loan exhibitions after that. The catalogues for the early exhibitions include paintings and sketches by members, and works on loan from private collections. Often there were also handicrafts made by members. In the 1900 exhibition there were oil and watercolour paintings, pastel drawings, designs, miniatures and 112 handicraft items. There was also a loan exhibit that showed decorative art from many different places and ages. The catalogue said these specimens were intended to show "the possibilities open to women of artistic bent". In 1896 the WAAC proposed that a State Dinner Service of painted china be made by Alice Mary Egan of
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
and twelve other artists from Ontario and Quebec. The service was made and was a success. The WAAC opened branches across Canada, eventually reaching Alberta in the west and New Brunswick in the east. By 1898 there were almost 1,000 members. The
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
branch of the Women's Art Association was founded in 1894 by Mary Martha Phillips and Mary Alice Peck. In 1907 it broke away from the WAAC and formed the independent Women's Art Society of Montreal. This was extremely successful, and in 1911 had to impose a cap of 350 members. Despite taking the name ''l'Association culturelle des femmes de Montréal'' in 1981, it remained essentially Anglophone. The Montreal society remains active today. The
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
Branch of the WAAC was established in February 1894. It separated its members into "active" and "honorary", the first group being professional artists or serious students of art, and the second being women who were interested in the arts. Membership rose from about 20 in 1894 to 188 in 1907. Most of the members grew impatient with the degree of control exerted by Mary Dignam, and broke away in 1908 to form the Western Art Association. The last groups associated with the WAAC in Winnipeg disbanded in 1909.


Later evolution

In 1912 the Toronto-based association was formally incorporated under federal legislation as the Women's Art Association of Canada. Mary Dignam was president until 1913, and remained in an advisory role for many years after. In 1936 she returned as president for the 50th anniversary of the WAAC. Matilda Ridout Edgar (1844–1910), historian, feminist and wife of the politician and businessman
James David Edgar Sir James David Edgar, (August 10, 1841 – July 31, 1899) was a Canadian politician. In his twenties, Edgar was a law student, legal editor of the '' Toronto Globe'', an alderman on Toronto's city council and an organizer for the Liberal ...
, was also associated with the WAAC in its early years. Howard and
Lorrie Dunington-Grubb Lorrie Alfreda Dunington-Grubb (1877 – 17 January 1945) was an English landscape architect. She moved to Canada in 1911 with her husband and business partner Howard Dunington-Grubb where they founded Sheridan Nurseries. She was active in garden ...
, well-known landscape gardeners, moved to Toronto in 1911 and soon after founded
Sheridan Nurseries Sheridan Nurseries is a Canadian garden supplies company based in the Toronto area. The company has over of land for growing plants and eight garden centers. Employment varies seasonally, but during peak periods it has over 1,000 staff. Histor ...
. Howard became a member of
the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto is a private members' club in Toronto, Ontario, which brings together writers, architects, musicians, painters, graphic artists, actors and others working in or with a love of the arts and letters. It was foun ...
, but Lorrie was unable to join since she was a woman. Lorrie became involved with the Women's Art Association around 1915 and was president of the WAAC from 1925 to 1930. Lorrie was also an active member of the Lyceum Club of Toronto and the
Heliconian Club The Toronto Heliconian Club is a non-profit association of women involved in the arts and letters based in Toronto, Ontario. It operates out of #Heliconian Hall, Heliconian Hall, a historic building located in the Yorkville, Toronto, Yorkville ar ...
, both devoted to women's involvement in the arts. In April 1930 the WAAC became affiliated with the Lyceum Club of London, England, and changed its name to the Lyceum Club and Women's Art Association of Canada. The branch in
St. Thomas, Ontario St. Thomas is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It gained its city charter on March 4, 1881. The city is also the seat for Elgin County, although it is independent of the county. At the time of the 2021 Census, the population of the city w ...
illustrates the evolution of one local branch. It was founded by eleven members at a meeting at the St. Thomas Business College on 26 March 1895, with the painter and teacher Miss Susan Paul as first president. The branch met at different locations, including the YWCA, the St. Thomas-Elgin Art Gallery and Sifton House at
Alma College Alma College is a Private college, private Presbyterian Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Alma, Michigan. It enrolls approximately 1,200 students and is Higher education accreditation in the United States, accre ...
. Membership fees were the main source of funding, but the branch also held exhibitions, lectures, teas and other events. The branch arranged tours of studios and museums, and sponsored display of artwork in schools. It was most active from the late 1940s to the mid 1950s, when it usually had more than 100 paid members. After this the branch slowly declined in activity and membership, and closed around 1990. The sculptor
Frances Loring Frances Norma Loring LL. D. (October 14, 1887– February 5, 1968) was a Canadian sculptor. Biography Loring was born in Wardner, Idaho on October 14, 1887 to mining engineer Frank Curtis Loring (1859-1938) and Charlotte Moore.Amy Marshall Furne ...
was president of the WAAC from 1938 to 1940. The name was changed back to the Women's Art Association of Canada after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
(1939–45). The WAAC remains active, and as of 2014 had 200 members, including women and men. It is based in a Victorian-era house in downtown Toronto. The building at 23 Prince Arthur Avenue was purchased in 1916 for $13,000. The adjoining house at 21 Prince Arthur Avenue was purchased in 1924. It contains the Dignam Gallery and has a large garden landscaped in traditional style. The houses at #21-23 Prince Arthur are in Second Empire style. Roughcast stucco was later covered by siding. Neighboring houses have eclectic architectural styles ranging from Italianate to crenelated
Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture, also known as mock Tudor in the UK, first manifested in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture, in rea ...
. The garden is named after Lorrie Dunington-Grubb.


Activities

The WAAC founded a gallery where its members' work could be exhibited, and arranged sales and shows of paintings and sculpture. The organization arranged lectures and even staged outdoor dramatic productions. It provided courses in jewellery making, weaving and ceramics. The Home Industries Department supported craftswomen involved in pottery, weaving and embroidery, and gave them a means to become known to the public and to sell their work. It marketed products such as traditional hooked rugs and French-Canadian homespuns.
Emily Carr Emily Carr (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist who was inspired by the monumental art and villages of the First Nations and the landscapes of British Columbia. She also was a vivid writer and chronicler of life in her sur ...
held her first solo show in eastern Canada in 1935 at the WAAC gallery in Toronto. The gallery often showed sculptures by
Frances Loring Frances Norma Loring LL. D. (October 14, 1887– February 5, 1968) was a Canadian sculptor. Biography Loring was born in Wardner, Idaho on October 14, 1887 to mining engineer Frank Curtis Loring (1859-1938) and Charlotte Moore.Amy Marshall Furne ...
and
Florence Wyle Florence Norma Wyle (November 14, 1881 – January 14, 1968) was an American-Canadian sculptor, designer and poet; a pioneer of the Canadian art scene. She practiced chiefly in Toronto, living and working with her partner Frances Loring, with w ...
. The WAAC also sponsored music, dance and literature. It arranged scholarship for young performance artists, and arranged concerts and readings. In the 1920s and 1930s the WAAC staged tableaux vivants in their garden in Toronto. From 1917 they have held an annual garden party there. The WAAC remained active in the National Council of Women until the 1970s. The WAAC continues to provide scholarships to students at institutions such as
Canada's National Ballet School Canada's National Ballet School, also commonly known as the National Ballet School of Canada, is a classical ballet school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Along with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, it is a provider of professional ballet tr ...
,
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, the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...
Faculty of Music,
OCAD University Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD U, is a public university, public art school, art university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its main campus is located within Toronto's Grange Park (neighbourh ...
,
Sheridan College Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, formerly Sheridan College of Applied Arts and Technology, is a public polytechnic institute partnered with private Canadian College of Technology and Trades operating campuses ...
and
George Brown College The George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology is a public, fully accredited college (Canada), college of applied arts and technology with three campuses in downtown Toronto (Ontario, Canada). Like many other colleges in Ontario, George ...
. Members raise funds through art shows and auctions, an annual garden party, textile shows and book sales. The gallery and garden of the headquarters building are available for rental for use in shows and events.


References

Notes Citations Sources * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Women's Art Association of Canada Arts organizations based in Canada Organizations based in Ontario 1887 establishments in Ontario Arts organizations established in 1887