Home > Artist Database > Bio-bibliographic Database > PEMBERTON-SMITH, Freda
Artist Database
PEMBERTON-SMITH, Freda
- Born
- Montreal, Quebec, 1902
- Died
- Vankleek Hill, Ontario, 1991
- Biography synopsis
- Frederica Augusta Pemberton-Smith studied at the Barnes School of Art, the Monument National, the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and she also attend life drawing classes held by the Royal Canadian Academy and she later studied at the Slade. From 1939 to 1945 she lived in England serving the Volunteer Aid Detachment (VAD) with the Canadian Army. When she returned home, she started teaching at St. Helen’s School, Durham, Quebec and also giving some private classes. As student she won a gold medal from the Royal Drawing Society, London, among other prizes. Her work was exhibited in several solo exhibitions at the Artlenders Gallery at Montreal (1960), the Argenteuil Art Association, Quebec (1960), the Laurentian Hotel, Montreal (1962), Memorial University Gallery, St. John’s Newfoundland (1964), Wallack’s Art Shop, Ottawa (1965) and also in different juried exhibitions, including the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour (1973), several of the Spring Exhibitions of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Royal Canadian Academy, and travelling exhibitions organized by the National Gallery of Canada. She also exhibited her work at Zwickers Gallery, Halifax, and in Calgary, Alberta and Alert Bay, British Columbia. In 1965 she moved from Montreal to Vankleek Hill, Ontario. Freda Pemberton-Smith worked mainly with oil painting and watercolour.
- Media used
- Painting
- Pastels
- Watercolour
- Education
- Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Montreal
- Barnes School of Art
- Monument National, Montreal (under Edmond Dyonnet for nine years)
- Slade School of Art, London
- Memberships
- Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour
- File & Archive locations
- Artexte Information Centre, QC - Documentation Centre
- Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
- Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
- 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
- Winnipeg Art Gallery, MA - Clara Lander Library
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
Writings about- "Fin d'année aux beaux-arts." Le Canada (Montreal) 31 May 1928: 3
- "Fine Work Marks R.C.A. Exhibition." Gazette (Montreal) 20 Nov. 1925
- "Freda Pemberton Smith Artist Featured in Next A.A.A. Exhibit." Watchman (Lachute) 20 Jul. 1960
- "Freda Pemberton-Smith's..." Gazette (Montreal) 29 Feb. 1960
- "La présente exposition à l'École des Beaux-Arts." La Presse (Montreal) 24 Jun. 1928
- "Montreal Artists Well Represented: High Standard Set at Spring Exhibition of Art Association." Gazette (Montreal) 16 Mar. 1923: 6
- "Sculpture and Prints at the Art Gallery." Star (Montreal) (?) Mar. 1935
- "Spring Exhibition of Art Association was Opened on Thursday." Star (Montreal) 12 Mar. 1933
- "The Week's Review: Some features of the Spring Exhibition." Star (Montreal) 26 Apr. 1934: 90
- "Work of Students Placed on View." Gazette (Montreal) 30 May 1927
- Art Association of Montreal. Catalogue of the Fiftieth Annual Spring Exhibition, 1933 Montreal: Art Association of Montreal, 1933
- Art Association of Montreal. Catalogue of the Fifty-Sixth Annual Spring Exhibition, 1939 Montreal: Art Association of Montreal, 1939
- Bertrand, Magdeleine. Les Femmes artistes du Québec de 1875 à 1925 Montreal: Université de Montréal, 1990
- Davies, Blodwen. "Canadian Women of Brush and Chisel." Chatelaine 3 (Jun. 1930): 9, 42
- Ketchum, W. Q. "One-Woman Art Show Worthwhile." Ottawa Journal 12 May 1965
- 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
- McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Formerly Art Association of Montreal: Spring Exhibitions, 1880-1970 Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988
- Murray, Connie. "Remembering Miss Pem." Ottawa Citizen 18 Mar. 2002
- Pfeiffer, Dorothy. "F. Pemberton Smith Show." Gazette (Montreal) 6 Oct. 1962
- Van Kleek Gallery. Freda Pemberton Smith, Her Work: In Honour of her 80th Birthday Van Kleek Hill: Van Kleek Gallery, 1982
- Verdurin, Paul. "En visitant l'exposition du Salon du Printemps." La Presse (Montreal) 18 Mar. 1950
- Weiselberger, Carl. "Montreal Painter's Show 'Old-fashioned'." Ottawa Citizen 19 May 1965
Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews- Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 24, 1927) "Over 300 Exhibits in Spring Art Show. Forty-fourth Exhibition Opened with Private View Last Night. Will Close April 18. Landscapes and Marines Predominate - Some Prominent Artists and Several of Younger Group Unrepresented." Gazette (Montreal) March 25, 1927. p.6. 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 1933) "Royal Canadian Academy's 54th Exhibition." Montreal Star November 22, 1933. p.15. 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
