Home > Artist Database > Bio-bibliographic Database > SMITH, Edith Agnes

Artist Database

SMITH, Edith Agnes

Born
Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1867
Died
Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia, 1954
Biography synopsis
Brought up in a family of professional painters, illustrators and designers, Edith Agnes Smith attended the Victoria School of Art and Design where she studied under George Harvey, its first principal. She later moved to pursue her studies at the Boston Art Club under Ernest Major, an American figure painter. Upon returning to Halifax, she opened a studio with her brother, and joined the Nova Scotia Museum of Fine Arts (later to become the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia) to which she remained committed throughout her life. Eager to learn more, she entered postgraduate studies at the Chelsea School of Art in London, eventually returning to Canada to teach at the Halifax Ladies' College (from 1915-50) where she was much admired and respected. She also worked as the assistant and secretary to Arthur Lismer while he was principal of the Victoria School of Art and Design from 1916-17. In 1922, she participated in her first group exhibition with her brother and Robert Strath, an Australian artist, and went on to found the Nova Scotia Society of Artists with several of her peers. Active in the Society for over thirty years, she was elected president several times and exhibited every year until 1954. She was also an original member of the Maritime Art Association with whom she exhibited frequently. Her work was also shown with the Royal Canadian Academy, the Ontario Society of Artists and the Montreal Art Association, and was selected for the annual exhibitions of the National Gallery of Canada, for I.B.M.'s Western Hemisphere Exhibition of 1941, and for traveling exhibitions of Nova Scotia paintings. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia holds several of her pieces.
Media used
Painting
Education
Victoria School of Art and Design (now NSCAD) (under George Harvey)
Boston Art Club (under Ernest Major)
Chelsea School of Art (under Borough Johnson, Ernest Jackson, Mr. Revel and Charles Stewart)
Memberships
Nova Scotia Society of Artists
Maritime Art Association
File & Archive locations
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, QC
National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
Vancouver Art Gallery, BC - Library
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, ON
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
"?" Halifax Evening Mail 26 Dec. 1913: 10
"A l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts." Le Devoir (Montreal) 30 May 1927
"Art Association 48th Spring Show High in Interest." Gazette (Montreal) 21 Mar. 1931
"Brother and sister art being shown." Weekly Record (Truro) 21 Mar. 1984: 18
"C'est l'oeuvre à la fois nationale et humanitaire." La Patrie (Montreal) 5 Jun. 1925: 17
"Fine Display At Art College." Halifax Mail 16 Dec. 1944
"La présente exposition à l'École des Beaux-Arts." La Presse (Montreal) 24 Jun. 1928
"Le Salon du Printemps." La Patrie (Montreal) 26 Mar. 1928: 17
"Les travaux des élèves de l'école des beaux art." La Presse (Montreal) 1 Jun. 1927
"Memorial Exhibition Opens Today." Halifax Mail Star 5 Apr. 1955
"Now showing." Daily News (Truro) 20 Mar. 1984
"Oeuvre de solidarité." La Patrie (Montreal) 17 Feb. 1933
"Oeuvres de nos jeunes artistes." La Presse (Montreal) 2 Jun. 1928: 47
"Paintings Displayed." Halifax Mail Star 30 Nov. 1965
"Pictures to be exhibited." ? (Halifax) [Dec. 1934 - Jan. 1935]
"Spring Exhibition at Art Galleries: Younger Men and Women Encouraged by Jury of Selection." Gazette (Montreal) 23 Mar. 1928: 8
"Spring Exhibition of Art Was Opened on Thursday." Montreal Star 17 Mar. 1933: 19
"Spring Exhibition of the Art Association of Montreal." Toronto Star 22 Mar. 1933
"The Week's Review: Some features of the Spring Exhibition." Star (Montreal) 26 Apr. 1934: 90
"Two Portraits Presented To Nova Scotia Archives." Halifax Mail Star 14 Dec. 1964
"Work of Students Placed on View." Gazette (Montreal) 30 May 1927
"Works Of Two N.S. Artists In Exhibit." Halifax Chronicle 26 Aug. 1941
Art Association of Montreal. Catalogue of the Fiftieth Annual Spring Exhibition, 1933. Montreal: Art Association of Montreal, 1933
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Edith Smith (1867-1954) & Lewis Smith (1871-1926). Halifax: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1984
Canadian National Exhibition. Contemporary Art of Canada and Newfoundland: Collection of the International Business Machines Corporation. New York: IBM Corporation, 1940
Claus, Joanne. "Two Saint John artists honoured." Saint John Times-Globe 28 Jun. 1990
Girard, Henri. "Le Salon du Printemps." La Revue Moderne (May 1930): 10
Girard, Henri. "Quelques expositions de peinture." La Revue Moderne (Apr. 1931): 7
Harper, J. Russell. Early Painters and Engravers in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1970
International Business Machines Corporation. Contemporary Art of the Western Hemisphere: Permanent Collection. New York: International Business Machines Corporation, 1941
Kelly, Gemey and Scott Robson. J.E.H. MacDonald, Lewis Smith, Edith Smith. Halifax: Dalhousie Art Gallery, 1990
Laberge, Albert. "Appréciation des oeuvres de quelques-uns de nos peintres." La Presse (Montreal) 28 Mar. 1928
Laberge, Albert. "Nouvelle visite au salon des peintres Canadiens." La Presse (Montreal) 28 Mar. 1929: 16
Laberge, Albert. "Overture de l'exposition de peintures et sculptures." La Presse (Montreal) 21 Mar. 1931
MacDonald, Colin S. The Dictionary of Canadian Artists. (Volumes 1-8 by Colin S. MacDonald, and volume 9 by Anne Newlands and Judith Parker) Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 2009.
Maritime Art Association. Paintings by Artists of the Maritime Provinces. Halifax: Maritime Art Association, 1939-1940
Maritime Art Association. Paintings by Artists of the Maritimes: Seventh Annual Exhibition. Halifax: Maritime Art Association, 1942
Monsarrat, Anthony. "Exhibition of works by Smiths will open tomorrow at AGNS." Halifax Mail Star 8 Dec. 1982
Nova Scotia Society of Artists. Nova Scotia Society of Artists First Annual Spring Exhibition. Halifax: Nova Scotia Society of Artists, 1923
O'Neill, Mora Dianne. Choosing Their Own Path: Canadian Women Impressionists. Halifax: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 2001
O'Neill, Mora Dianne. Diamond Jubilee: Nova Scotia Society of Artists. Halifax: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1998
Paikowsky, Sandra. Nova Scotian Pictures: Art in Nova Scotia, 1940-1966. Halifax: Dalhousie University Art Gallery, 1994
Reynald. "Le 50e salon du printemps." La Presse (Montreal) 17 Mar. 1933
Schneidereit, Paul. "Desbrisay off to outstanding start." Halifax Mail Star 6 Jan. 1984
Stacey, Robert. "Eighty: 1887-1967." Eighty/Twenty: 100 Years of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Halifax: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1988
Val, Pierre. "Au Salon des 'beaux-arts.'" Le Devoir (Montreal) 14 Jun. 1928

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Art Association Spring Show Opens. Private View Inaugurates Exhibition Containing Over Five Hundred Works."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.17.   Full-text pdf

Search by: