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AITKEN, Melita

Born
Drumbo, Ontario, 1866
Died
Vancouver, British Columbia, 1945
Biography synopsis
Melita Aitken studied under Mary Ella Dignam in Toronto, and under Vanderpoel at the Art Institute of Chicago. In her early career she painted portraits in oils, but later specialized in watercolour flower painting when she discovered the lead in her paints was affecting her health. She was married to Captain Aitken, who was killed in World War I. Aitken then spent a year overseas, and came back to live in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario shortly before moving to Victoria, then Vancouver. Her work was exhibited at the Royal Academy; in London, Ontario in 1931; at the Royal Canadian Academy in from 1931 to 1933; in the Salon des Artists Francais in Paris in 1932 and 1933; and at the Spring shows of the Art Association of Montreal from 1932 to 1943. Aitken was also featured in solo exhibits at the Victoria Art Gallery in 1936, and the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1938.
Media used
Painting
Watercolour
Education
Art Institute of Chicago (under Vanderpoel)
Private study (under Mary Ella Dignam)
Memberships
British Columbia Society of Artists, 1918-1930
Island Arts and Crafts Society
National Association of Women Artists
Women's Art Club, Toronto
File & Archive locations
National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
British Columbia Archives
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon: Die bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker. Leipzig: G. K. Saur, 1992
"Exhibition by Noted Artist." Gazette (Montreal) 17 Aug. 1936
"Floral Motif in Pictures." Vancouver Sun 28 Oct. 1938
"Guide to Canadian Painters." Ontario Library Review Toronto: Provincial Library Service, 24.2 (May 1940): 188
"L'Academie Royale Canadienne des Arts." Le Devoir (Montreal) 23 Nov. 1933
"Le 50e Salon du Printemps." Le Devoir (Montreal) 8 Apr. 1933: 2
"Some Pictures In the Spring Exhibition." Toronto Star 22 Mar. 1935
"Spring Exhibition of Art Association was Opened on Thursday." Toronto Star 12 Mar. 1933
"Spring Exhibition of the Art Association of Montreal." Toronto Star 22 Mar. 1933
Appleton, Marion Brymner, ed. Who's Who in Northwest Art: A Directory of Persons in the Pacific Northwest Working in the Media of Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Arts, and Handicrafts. Seattle: Frank McCaffrey, 1941
Benezit, Emmanuel. Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs. Paris: Librairie Grund, 1976
Desbiens, Lucien. "Au Salon: L'Academie Royale Canadienne des Arts." Devoir (Montreal) 23 Nov. 1933
H.P.B. "I.A.A. Opens Exhibition with 300 Canvases." Montreal Daily Star 12 Oct. 1932: 8
Harper, J. Russell. Early Painters and Engravers in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1970
Hughes, Margaret E. A Guide to Canadian Painters. Toronto: King's Printer, 1940
Johnson, Jane and A. Greutzer. Dictionary of British Artists, 1880-1940. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1976
Lemieux, Yves. "Le 50e Salon du Printemps." Le Devoir (Montreal) 8 Apr. 1933
McKendry, Blake. Dictionary of Folk Artists in Canada: From the 17th Century to the Present. Elginburg: Blake McKendry, 1988
McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Formerly Art Association of Montreal: Spring Exhibitions, 1880-1970. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988
McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Royal Canadian Academy of Arts/Académie royale des arts du Canada: Exhibitions and Members 1880-1979 Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1981
Petteys, Chris, et al. Dictionary of Women Artists: An International Dictionary of Women Artists Born Before 1900. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1985
Royal Academy of Arts. Exhibitions 1905-1970: A Dictionary of Artists and their Work in the Summer Exhibitions of the Royal Academy of Arts. East Ardsley: EP Publishing, 1982

Writings by
Aitken, Melita. Maple Grove, and Other Poems. Toronto: Warwick Bros. & Rutter, c. 1920

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Canadian Artists Are Well Represented At R.C.A. Exhibition."  Montreal Star  .  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Wide Range of Art In R.C.A. Exhibition."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.10.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Landscapes, Portraits, Water Colors, Sculpture, Viewed at Exhibition of Royal Canadian Academy."  Montreal Star  .  p.11.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Paintings Show Big Advance on Those of Last Exhibition.`"  Standard (Montreal)  .  p.54.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Art Association Has Forty-Ninth Annual Spring Exhibition."  Montreal Star  .  p.7.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Art Association's Spring Exhibition Is 49th of Series. Some Five Hundred Works Greet Invited Guests at Private View."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Pictures at Art Association Have Wide Variety in Theme."  Montreal Star  .  p.12.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Spring Exhibition of Art Association Was Opened on Thursday."  Montreal Star  .  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "50th Spring Show Opened to Public. Jury Shows Open Mind. From Over 1,000 Entries, 543 Works Representative of Various Schools Have Been Selected."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Spring Exhibition of the Art Association of Montreal"  Montreal Star  .  17.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) Yves Lemieux.  "Le 50e Salon du Printemps."  Le Devoir  .  p.2.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Many Artists from Toronto in Royal Academy Showing."  Evening Telegram (Toronto)  .  p.4.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, ) Reta W. Myers.  "In the Domain of Art. A Weekly Causerie of Interest to Art Lovers."  Publication Not Verified  .  p.14.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Spring Exhibition of Art Association Opened on Thursday."  Montreal Star  .  p.17.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Nearly 500 Works at Spring Exhibit. Variety in Show at Galleries of Art Association of Montreal. 1,080 Items Submitted. Judges Reveal Open Minds and 52nd Annual Contains Much to Meet Differing Tastes."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.3.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Some Pictures in the Spring Exhibition."  Montreal Star  .  p.22.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Spring Exhibition on Generous Scale. Show at Art Gallery Opened Last Night Contains 621 Items."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.2.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Annual Spring Exhibition at Art Association."  Montreal Star  .  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Nearly 500 Works at Spring Exhibit. Art Association's 54th Annual Show Opens with Private Views. Judges Open-Minded."  Gazette (Montreal)  .  p.13,17.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "The Spring Exhibition of the Art Association."  Montreal Star  .  p.17.   Full-text pdf

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