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GORDON, Hortense

Born
Hamilton, Ontario, 1889
Died
Hamilton, Ontario, 1961
Biography synopsis
Hortense Gordon (née Mattice) took Saturday morning art classes with John Sloan Gordon at the Hamilton Art School while she was a public school student, 1895-1903. She married him in 1920. She studied with Hans Hofmann in 1945; she was the first Canadian to do so and the first to teach his theories in Canada. She taught design and applied arts, particularly china painting, at the Hamilton Technical School 1916-1951 and in 1934 she became head of the Institute. She began painting in an abstract idiom in the mid-1940s. She had her first solo show in 1952. She gave many public lectures on abstract art. She was an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy, a member of the Canadian Society of Graphic Artists, the Contemporary Artists of Hamilton, the Women’s Art Association of Hamilton (founding member), the Ontario Society of Artists (1904), North Shore Arts Association of Gloucester, Massachusetts, the International Federation of Art, Zurich, and the Art Teachers Guild, London. She was a founding member (1953) of Painters Eleven. She showed her work extensively and was known to be enthusiastic about seeking out exhibition opportunities. She showed at Galerie Agnes Lefort, Montreal (solo exhibition 1952), and in "Exhibition of Paintings by Hortense M. Gordon A.R.C.A." in Burlington Public Library, 1957. She showed in annual exhibitions of Hamilton artists 1927-1940 and in annual exhibitions of the Hamilton Women’s Art Association, the Contemporary Artists of Hamilton and with the Art Club of Hamilton. She showed with Painters Eleven in various exhibitions in Montreal and Ottawa. Her work was in "Four Modern Canadians," at the Willistead Art Gallery, 1954 (with Jock Macdonald, Sidney Watson and P.H. Taçon). She showed in Canadian Women Artists at Riverside Museum, New York, 1952 and at the 20th Annual Exhibition of American Abstract Artists with Painters Eleven in 1956.
Media used
Painting
Memberships
Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Associate
Canadian Society of Graphic Art
Ontario Society of Artists, 1904
Painters Eleven, 1953; Founding member
Contemporary Artists of Hamilton
Women's Art Association of Hamilton, Founding member, 1894
File & Archive locations
Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
University of British Columbia - Fine Arts Library
Winnipeg Art Gallery, MA - Clara Lander Library
Vancouver Art Gallery, BC - Library
Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, ON
Archives de Radio Canada
Toronto Reference Library, ON
Hamilton Public Library, ON - Local History and Archives Department
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
"?" Expositor (Brantford) 24 Jan. 1959
"?" Hamilton Spectator 20 Jan. 1959
"?" Montreal Star 29 Nov. 1952
"Art." Michigan Daily 20 Apr. 1952
"Artist Guest Speaker at First Zonta Meeting." Hamilton News 15 Sept. 1950
"Canada Gains from Local Art Exhibit: Technical School Work was Great Sensation at Prague." Hamilton Spectator 15 Sept. 1928
"Color and Courage Combine in Exhibition by 'Painters Eleven.'" Oshawa Times-Gazette 27 Mar. 1956
"Exhibition of Modern Art to Open on Friday." Burlington Gazette May 1957
"Femmes peintres canadiennes." Le Devoir (Montreal) 23 Mar. 1948: 6
"Fine Work Marks R.C.A. Exhibition." Gazette (Montreal) 20 Nov. 1925
"Gallery on display." Chatham Daily News 19 Mar. 1993
"Gordon Exhibition." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 11 May 1957
"Hamilton Artist Won Praise in Canada, U.S." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 8 Nov. 1961
"Hortense M. Gordon Showing Abstracts." Gazette (Montreal) 29 Nov. 1952
"Hortense M. Gordon." Art Digest 26 (15 Jan. 1952): 26
"Hortense M. Gordon." Art News 50 (Jan. 1952): 42
"Modern Art Follows Set Patterns Hortense Gordon Tells Kent Artists." Chatham Daily News 17 May 1952
"Modern Painting Trend Described." Hamilton Spectator 25 Feb. 1956
"Mrs. H.M. Gordon." Toronto Daily Star 8 Nov. 1961
"New Paintings in Art Gallery." Hamilton Spectator 12 Feb. 1921
"News About ..." Hamilton Spectator 20 Jan. 1959
"Painters Eleven." Telegram (Toronto) 11 Feb. 1961
"Paintings by Husband, Wife on Exhibit Here." Expositor (Brantford) 7 Dec. 1946
"Shown In New Zealand, Art On Display Here." Spectator (Hamilton) 4 Sept. 1956
"Spring Exhibition of Art Was Opened on Thursday." Montreal Star 17 Mar. 1933: 19
"Tells of Life in Labrador." Hamilton Spectator 2 Mar. 1956
Anderson, Janice. Closed Systems: Alexandra Luke, Hortense Gordon and the Canadian Art History Canon. Montreal: Concordia University, 1995
Ayre, Robert. "Art Notes: Varied Styles Offered by Group Here." Montreal Star 29 Nov. 1952: 21
Broad, Graham. "Painters Eleven: The Shock of the New." The Beaver 84.1 (2004): 20-27
Creative Gallery. Hortense M. Gordon. Eldorado, USA: Unknown, 1952
Delzell, Sylvia. "Art Brushes." Hamilton Spectator 26 Mar. 1955
Dingman, Elizabeth. "She's Been Abstract for a Long Time." Toronto Telegram 2 Feb. 1961
Farr, Dorothy and Luckyj, Natalie. From Women's Eyes: Women Painters in Canada Kingston: Agnes Etherington Art Centre, 1975
Fulford, Robert. "The Modern Artist Who has Painted for Half a Century." Mayfair (Apr. 1955): 81-82
Fulford, Robert. "World of Art: Hortense Gordon." Toronto Daily Star 11 Nov. 1961
Fulford, Robert. "World of Art: Pioneers." Toronto Daily Star 4 Feb. 1961: 28
Galérie Agnès Lefort. Chronologie des expositions Montreal: Galérie Agnès Lefort, 1996
Heller, Jules and Nancy. North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century New York: Garland, 1995
Inglis, Grace. "Hortense and J.S. Gordon: They Deserve More Notice Than They've Got." Hamilton Spectator Sept. 15 1984
Inglis, Grace. "Paint Group had Lasting Influence." Hamilton Spectator 19 Dec. 1981
Lebow, Julius. "Artist and Teacher 'Symbol of Vitality.'" Hamilton Spectator 16 Mar. 1963
MacCuaig, Stuart. Climbing the Cold White Peaks: A Survey of Artists in and from Hamilton 1910-1950. Hamilton: Hamilton Artists Inc, 1986
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
Mahoney, Jeff. "Hamilton Boasts a Rich Artistic Legacy." Hamilton Spectator 8 Jun. 1996
Mahony, Jeff. "The Push and Pull of Hortense Gordon." Hamilton Spectator 2 Jun. 1994: D1
Mawr, David. "Abstract Art Dominates Gallery Shows." Windsor Daily Star 9 Jan. 1954: 25
McCarthy, Pearl. "Pseudo-Psychology, Bane of Abstractionists." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 4 Feb. 1961: 15
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
Murray, Joan. "Ray Mead: Thoughtful Abstractions." Chimo! 3 (Oct. 1980): 28-32
Nasgaard, Roald. Abstract Painting in Canada Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2008
National Council of Women of Canada. Canadian Women Artists' Exhibition, Sponsored by Local Council of Women of Kitchener Kitchener: Canadian Arts Council and Department of External Affairs, 1947
National Council of Women of Canada. Femmes peintres canadiennes: Expositions présentée par le conseil national des femmes canadiennes 1947
Nowell, Iris. Painters Eleven: The Wild Ones of Canadian Art Vancouver, Brisith Columbia: Douglas & McIntyre, 2011
O'Brien, Paddy. A Dedicated Life: Hortense Mattice Gordon. Chatham: Chatham Cultural Centre, 1993
Plaskett, Joe. "Some New Canadian Artists and Their Debt To Hans Hofmann." Canadian Art 10.2 (1953): 59-63
Poon, Jessica. Harmonious Disagreement: Painters Eleven, Abstraction, and the Construction of Canadian Modernism in the 1950s Vancouver, B.C.: University of British Colombia, Ph.D Dissertation, 2018
Preston, Stuart. "New Shows in Wide Range." New York Times 15 Apr. 1956: II9
Reference Division, McPherson Library, compilers. Creative Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Creative and Performing Arts Toronto: University of Toronto Press, University of Victoria, 1971
Repentigny, Robert de. "Enfin, les 'Onze' à leur meilleur." La Presse (Montreal) 3 May 1958
Town, Harold. Hortense Gordon. Toronto: Gallery Moos, 1961
Vorres, Ian. "Painters Eleven Show Controversial Works." Hamilton Spectator 5 Jun. 1958
White, Peter. "Art works reflect the lay of the land." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 29 Jul. 1978
Willistead Art Gallery. Four Modern Canadians. Willistead (Ontario): Willistead Art Gallery, ?
Woods, Kathryn Reid. A History of Painters Eleven. Oshawa: The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 1970
Woods, Kay. "A History of Painters Eleven." Artscanada 226-227 (May-Jun. 1979)

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 19, 1925) "Fine Work Marks R.C.A. Exhibition. New Schools Offer Contrast to Solidly-Based Qualities of Older and Established Painters."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 20, 1925.  p.10.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 21, 1929) "Spring Exhibition at Art Galleries. Jury Selection Sympathetic to Sincere and Normal Work - Promise Shown by New Exhibitors."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 22, 1929.  p.12.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 21, 1929) "R.C.A. Show Opened with Private View. Fifty-first Annual Exhibition Housed in Art Association Galleries."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 22, 1929.  p.18.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 20, 1931) "Art Association 48th Spring Show High In Interest."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 21, 1931.  p.16.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 19, 1931) "Wide Range of Art In R.C.A. Exhibition."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 20, 1931.  p.10.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 19, 1931) "Canadian Artists Are Well Represented At R.C.A. Exhibition."  Montreal Star  November 20, 1931.  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 19, 1931) "Paintings Show Big Advance on Those of Last Exhibition.`"  Standard (Montreal)  December 05, 1931.  p.54.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 17, 1932) "Art Association's Spring Exhibition Is 49th of Series. Some Five Hundred Works Greet Invited Guests at Private View."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 18, 1932.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 16, 1933) "Spring Exhibition of Art Association Was Opened on Thursday."  Montreal Star  March 17, 1933.  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 16, 1933) "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)  March 17, 1933.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 1933) "Governor-General Opens Annual Art Exhibition. His Excellency Recalls Tradition of Predecessors-Stresses Art's Part in Renaissance of National Taste."  Montreal Star  November 17, 1933.  p.20.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 1933) "Royal Canadian Academy's 54th Exhibition."  Montreal Star  November 22, 1933.  p.15.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 15, 1934) "Art Association Spring Show Opens. Private View Inaugurates Exhibition Containing Over Five Hundred Works."  Gazette (Montreal)  April 20, 1934.  p.17.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 15, 1934) "Fifty-First Spring Exhibition of the Art Association."  Montreal Star  April 20, 1934.  p.15.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 15, 1934) Reynald.  "Le 51e salon de printemps. Morte-saison pour les nôtres."  La Presse (Montreal)  April 20, 1934.  p.29.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 21, 1935) "Spring Exhibition of Art Association Opened on Thursday."  Montreal Star  March 22, 1935.  p.17.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 21, 1935) "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)  March 22, 1935.  p.3.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) Reynald.  "Le 56e Salon de l'Académie. A défaut de révéler des tendances neuves, le Salon garde une allure distinguée et une belle tenue d'ensemble. Plus de "bon ton" que de vitalité. Maints portraits."  La Presse (Montreal)  November 22, 1935.  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) "The Fifty-Sixth Exhibition of the Canadian Academy."  Montreal Star  November 22, 1935.  p.13.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) "Art Gallery Scene of R.C.A. Exhibition. Paintings and Other Works from Various Canadian Points Total 444. Much Good Portraiture."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 23, 1935.  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 19, 1936) "Annual Spring Exhibition at Art Association."  Montreal Star  March 20, 1936.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 19, 1936) "Spring Exhibition on Generous Scale. Show at Art Gallery Opened Last Night Contains 621 Items."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 20, 1936.  p.2.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 18, 1937) "Nearly 500 Works at Spring Exhibit. Art Association's 54th Annual Show Opens with Private Views. Judges Open-Minded."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 19, 1937.  p.13,17.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 18, 1937) "The Spring Exhibition of the Art Association."  Montreal Star  March 19, 1937.  p.17.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 18, 1937) "Royal Canadian Academy Show is Opened at Art Association. Portraiture Represented by Good Examples and Landscapes as Usual Predominate."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 19, 1937.  p.12.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (, November 16, 1939) "R.C.A. Exhibition Has Private View. Over 300 Works in Galleries of Art Association of Montreal. Standard Maintained."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 17, 1939.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (, November 16, 1939) "Canadian Academy Opens Sixtieth Exhibition."  Montreal Star  November 17, 1939.  p.11.   Full-text pdf

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