Home > Artist Database > Bio-bibliographic Database > DUNCAN, Alma Mary

Artist Database

DUNCAN, Alma Mary

Born
Paris, Ontario, 1917
Died
Ottawa, Ontario, 2004
Biography synopsis
Largely self-taught, Alma Duncan worked in a variety of media and was extremely prolific. Her work was first shown at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in 1937, and in 1942 she won an honourable mention in the Western Hemisphere Poster Competition held by the Museum of Modern Art, New York. In the early 1940s, she studied life drawing with Ernst Neumann and Goodridge Roberts, as well as making sketches on her own in the Anatomy Department of McGill University. Interested in Canadian industry, she made drawings of arms factories and shipyards, as well as depicting the activities of the Canadian Women's Army Corps. During this decade, she also became the Executive of the Federation of Canadian Artists and Treasurer of the Writers', Artists' and Broadcasters' War Council. In 1943, Duncan accepted an invitation to join the Graphics Division of the National Film Board and, later on, their Animation Department. Her first film, "Folksong Fantasy," was shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 1951. In this same year, she formed a partnership with photographer Audrey McLaren, a personal, commercial and artistic alliance that was to endure for the rest of their lives. Under the name "Dunclaren," they released numerous animated films which they created in an Ottawa attic, and won international recognition for their work. After 1960, Duncan shifted her focus to painting and drawing, and exhibited her work throughout Canada and internationally (in Wales, Australia, Switzerland, Barcelona, and numerous American cities). In 1968, she received a Canada Council grant to travel through the Middle East and study Islamic art. During the 1970s, Duncan was commissioned to design two series of stamps for Canada Post, and journeyed to the Arctic, becoming involved in creative endeavours concerned with the Canadian north. Her work is represented in the collections of the Canadian War Museum, the National Gallery of Canada. and the Canada Council Art Bank, to name a few.
Media used
Animated films
Caricature
Drawing
Graphic design
Industrial design
Painting
Printmaking
Education
Private study, 1940 - 1943 (under Ernest Neumann and Goodridge Roberts, Montreal)
Private study, 1935 - 1936 (under A. Sherriff Scott, Montreal)
Memberships
Federation of Canadian Artists, 1942
Artists, Writers, Broadcasters War Council, 1943
Canadian Society of Graphic Art, 1966
Print and Drawing Council of Canada, 1976
Canadian Artists' Representation, 1978
File & Archive locations
Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
Winnipeg Art Gallery, MA - Clara Lander Library
Artexte Information Centre, QC - Documentation Centre
London Public Library, ON
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, QC
National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
University of British Columbia - Fine Arts Library
Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery, QC
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, ON
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
"Alma Duncan's Drawings Reveal Artist's Eye for Drama in Industry." Ottawa Evening Journal 27 May 1947
"Art for Children's Sake." Canadian Magazine (28 Oct. 1972): 12-15
"Artist Designs Unicef Greeting Card." Arnprior Chronicle (Ontario) 1 Nov. 1972: 3
"Canadian Group Shows Nearly 100 Paintings." Gazette (Montreal) 10 Jan. 1948
"Canadian Refreshed Her Tired Mind with Tour to Discover Islamic Art." Daily Star (Beirut, Lebanon) 17 Feb. 1968: 5
"Globe Trotter Canada Remembers." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 7 Jan. 1995: F1
"Hundreds View Interesting Drawings Made During Marian Congress." Ottawa Journal 6 Oct. 1947
"Look What's Happening to Canadian Stamps." Reader's Digest (Feb. 1973): 47
"Ottawa Artist Wins Award in Switzerland." Ottawa Journal 26 Apr. 1966: 25
"Remarkable Drawings Skill." Ottawa Journal 27 Mar. 1971: 45
"Stamp of the Month." Scott Monthly Journal 52 (19 Sept. 1971): 3
"Stamps Designed By Galetta Artist." Arnprior Chronicle (Ontario) 21 Apr. 1971
"The annual meeting of the Quebec division...." Montreal Star 13 Nov. 1943
"Variety of Talent Shown." Ottawa Citizen 26 Jun. 1965
"Work of Alma Duncan is Powerful." Evening Citizen 27 May 1947: 4
Baele, Nancy. "Devotion to the machine age at Arts Council show." Ottawa Citizen 17 Nov. 1998: C15
Barrie, Judy. "Alma Duncan an artist for all seasons." Ottawa Citizen 22 May 1971: 43
Belton, Robert James. Sights of Resistance: Approaches to Canadian Visual Culture Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2001
Bohuslawsky, Maria. "The wisdom of older years can reduce stress." Ottawa Citizen 7 Aug. 1993: C3
Canada Council. The Canada Council Art Bank Catalogue 1972-1992. Ottawa: Canada Council, 1992
Cristall, Ferne, and Barbara Emanuel. Images in Action: A Guide to Using Women's Film and Video. Toronto: Between the Lines, 1986
Cross, Austin. "Priest and Hotdog, Brother and his Horn." Evening Citizen (Ottawa) 7 Oct. 1947
Donegan, Rosemary. Industrial Images. Hamilton: Art Gallery of Hamilton, 1987
Donegan, Rosemary. "Images of Industrial Life and Organizing." Labour/Le Travail 23 (Spring 1989): 195-220
Ellis, J. "Grierson's First Years at the NFB." Canadian Film Reader Toronto: P. Martin Associates, 1977
Fay, Gerard. "Our London Correspondence - Puppet Film." Manchester Guardian (Manchester, England) 15 Jun. 1951
Finlay, Sean. "Feature." Arnprior Chronicle (Ontario) 21 Apr. 1971: 43
Fleming, Alan, et al. National Postal Museum. Ottawa: Canada Post Office, 1974
Flexman, Muriel. "Take Fame in Stride." Hamilton Spectator 27 Feb. 1964: 25
Foss, Brian & Cindy Richmond. Molly Lamb Bobak: A Retrospective. Regina: MacKenzie Art Gallery, 1993
Frutkin, Mark. "Gallery debuts with Duncan." Ottawa Citizen 22 May 1981
G.T.P. "Alma Duncan's Drawings Reveal Artist's Eye for Drama in Industry." Ottawa Evening Journal 27 May 1947
Galerie Anne Doran. Alma Duncan. Ottawa: Galerie Anne Doran, 1981
Gessell, Paul. "Portrait of a work in progress." Ottawa Citizen 15 Dec. 2005: F1
Godley, Elizabeth. "Unusual show highlights social, historical questions." Vancouver Sun 19 Sept. 1987: D2
Griffith, J. "Allied War Posters Impressive." Standard (Montreal) 24 Oct. 1942: 10
Hardy, Reginald. "Ottawa Girls' Puppet Film Wins Acceptance by Edinburgh Festival." Evening Citizen (Ottawa) 1 Oct. 1953: 22
Hill, C.C. and P.B. Landry, eds. National Gallery Catalogue, Canadian Art. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1988
Holman, Loyd Bruce. Puppet Animation in the Cinema: History and Technique. New York?: A.S. Barnes, 1975
Knowles, Valerie. "Ottawa Artist (24) - Remarkable Drawing Skill." Ottawa Journal 27 Mar. 1971: 45
Kritzwiser, Kay. "Eye-catching Beatles pave way for British Week." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 7 Oct. 1967: 18
Kritzwiser, Kay. "Review." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 7 Oct. 1967: 18
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.
Marcus, Angela. "Duncan's watercolours break new ground." Ottawa Revue 28 May 1981: 20
Mawr, David. "Canadian Group of Painters Exhibit Opens." Windsor Daily Star 14 May 1949
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
Meloche, Jaclyn. Braiding the Boundaries: A Dialogical Study of Alma Duncan's Art from the 1940s and 1950s. Ottawa: National Library of Canada, 2005
Morrison, Harold. "Ottawa Artist Records Congress in 75 Scenes." Evening Citizen (Ottawa) 25 Jun. 1947
Murray, Joan. Alma Duncan and Men at Work. Oshawa: The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 1987
Murray, Joan. Canadian Artists of the Second World War. Oshawa: Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 1981
Murray, Joan. Daffodils in Winter: The Life and Letters of Pegi Nicol MacLeod, 1904-1949. Moonbeam, Ontario: Penumbra Press, 1984
National Archives of Canada. Annual Review of the National Archives of Canada [1996]. Ottawa: The Archives, 1996
Ontario Arts Council. Take One Toronto?: Unicorn Pub, 1970
Ontario Library Review. Who's Who in Canadian Art: From Ontario Library Review, November 1947-August 1962. Toronto: Government Printer, 1948
Ontario Library Review. Who's Who in Ontario Art. Toronto: Ontario Library Review, 1951
Osler, Pamela. Canadian Watercolours, Drawings and Prints, 1966. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1966
Ottawa Art Gallery. Alma: the Life and Work of Alma Duncan Ottawa:: Ottawa Art Gallery, 2014
Parker, Charles Whately, and Barnet M. Greene, eds. Who's Who in Canada: An Illustrated Biographical Record of Men and Women of the Time. ?: International Press Ltd., 1994
Rooke, Peggy. "Career Woman of the Month." Fashion (Montreal) Sept. 1946: 41, 87-8
Royal Canadian Academy. Royal Canadian Academy 88th Annual Exhibition 1967. Montreal: 1967
Simpson-Housley, Paul. A Few Acres of Snow: Literary and Artistic Images of Canada. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1992
Smith, Sharon. Women Who Make Movies. New York: Hopkinson and Blake, 1975
Tippett, Maria. By a Lady. Toronto: Viking, 1992
Trépanier, Esther. Peintres juifs et modernite = Jewish painters and modernity: Montreal 1930-1945. Montreal: Saidye Bronfman Centre, 1987
Waring, Gerald. "Folksong Fantasy." Standard (Montreal) 21 Apr. 1951: 14, 21
Wlasenko, Olexander. Industrial Strength: Visual Responses to Efficiency. Oshawa, Ontario: Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2002
Wolff, Hennie. Index of Ontario Artists. Toronto: Visual Arts of Ontario, Ontario Association of Art Galleries, 1978
Woodehouse, R. F. Check-list of the War Collections of World War I, 1914-1918, and World War II, 1939-1945. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1968

Writings by
Cowan, James, and Alma Duncan (illus). Steep Rock Iron Mines Ltd. Toronto: Northern Miner Press, 1957
Cram, John Snedden, and Alma Duncan (illus). How To Handle Publicity. Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec: MacDonald College Adult Education Service, 1940?
Duncan, Alma M. Sky Loft: We Won't Keep It Under Our Hat. Uxbridge, Ontario: Sky Loft, ?
Duncan, Alma M. Venereal Disease, or Victory Over Disease. Ottawa: Department of Pensions and National Health, ?
Duncan, Alma M. Vocational Training on Civvy Street. Ottawa: King's Printer, 1945
Duncan, Alma, illus. A Catalogue of Informational Displays Designed and Produced by the National Film Board of Canada. Ottawa: National Film Board, ?
Duncan, Alma, illus. Camp Feeding: A camp is as good as the food it serves. Ottawa: Department of National Health and Welfare, 1946
Duncan, Alma, illus. Etalages photographiques sur des sujets d'intérêt national, reproduits selon le procédé 'collotype', réalisés et distribués par l'Office national du film du Canada. Ottawa: National Film Board, 1946
Jones, Jack, and Alma Duncan (illus.). Rhyming Cockney Slang. Bristol, England: Abson Books, 1971
Stock, Dora, and Alma Duncan (illus.). Le français vivant. Toronto: Copp Clark, 1957

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
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
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, ) "Art Association Opens 57th Spring Exhibit. Notable Feature of Display Is Unusually Large Proportion Of Portraits or Portrait Studies."  Montreal Star  .  p.19.   Full-text pdf

Search by: