 Thelma Manarey (1913–1984) was a prominent Alberta artist known for her work in etching and printmaking, as well as her contributions to the province's art scene. Born in Edmonton, she studied at the Institute of Technology and Art in Calgary and attended various art workshops across Canada. Manarey was deeply influenced by Alberta's landscape, often depicting the region's trees, snow, and vast spaces. She was an active member of the Alberta Society of Artists and the Canadian Society of Painters – Etchers and Engravers (CPE), earning several accolades for her contributions. In the 1960s, she shifted from large-scale abstract acrylic paintings to miniature etchings, focusing on the interplay of negative and positive space. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections, including Alberta House in London and the Edmonton Public School Board.   Sarah Mary Blake (1864–1933) was Alberta's first female painter, recognized for her contributions to the history of Pincher Creek in the 1890s. Born in Galway, Ireland, she studied art in England and France before joining her brother in Pincher Creek in 1888. In 1890, she married Alfred Hardwick Lynch-Staunton, a former NWMP officer and rancher. Despite a busy life raising nine children and running a ranch, Sarah found time to paint, capturing the landscapes of the region. Her work, which brought a touch of "Old World" art to the pioneer community, is displayed at the Glenbow Museum, including her pieces Deer Horn Ranch and Lundbeck Falls. Sarah also served as the president of the Pincher Creek branch of the Canadian Red Cross during WWI and was active in local affairs. Though she didn't pursue art professionally, her legacy lives on through her paintings and her family, including descendants who continue to manage the original Deer Horn Ranch.   Mary Morris Vaux Walcott (1860–1940) was an American botanical artist, photographer, glaciologist, and mountaineer who spent over 40 years in the Canadian Rockies. Along with her brothers, she conducted some of the first studies of glaciers in Canada, documenting their changes through drawings, maps, and photographs. Vaux Walcott became the first woman in Canada to summit a peak over 3,000 meters, reaching the top of Mount Stephen in 1900. A talented botanical artist, she published North American Wild Flowers, featuring 400 of her watercolors. Her work in both photography and glaciology, including the development of over 2,500 photos, was widely recognized, and Mount Mary Vaux in Jasper National Park was named in her honor.   Mary Schäffer Warren (1861–1939) was an American-born naturalist, writer, hotographer, and surveyor best known for being the first non-Indigenous person to explore Maligne Lake in the Canadian Rockies. She became a prominent figure in the early exploration of Banff and Jasper national parks, despite lacking formal training as a surveyor. In 1911, she was tasked with surveying Maligne Lake by the Geological Survey of Canada and went on to name several geographical features surrounding it. Her expeditions, often with her guides and fellow explorers, were documented in her book Old Indian Trails of the Canadian Rockies. Schäffer Warren was also an advocate for tourism to the Rockies, giving lantern-slide presentations of her hand-painted photographs. She passed away in 1939 in Banff, where her house, Tarry-a-while, is now a National Historic Place.   Mary Parris (1914–1988) was a prominent Edmonton-based artist known for her abstract watercolour and acrylic paintings inspired by landscapes and snowy fields. A member of the Edmonton Sketch Club in the late 1920s, Parris pursued further education at institutions such as the Banff School of Fine Arts and the University of Alberta's Extension Department. She also studied with John Ferren at Emma Lake in 1959. A founding member of the Focus Gallery, Canada’s first artist co-op, Parris contributed to the Edmonton art scene and frequently exhibited at the Edmonton Art Gallery and the Calgary Allied Arts Centre. Her works were showcased in national exhibitions, including a traveling watercolour exhibition curated by the Art Gallery of Ontario. Parris’ art is held in several collections, including the Canada Council Art Bank.   Mary Filer (1920–2016) was a pioneering Canadian artist and educator, renowned for her sculptural glass works. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, she studied at Balfour Technical School in Regina before pursuing nursing. In the 1940s, Filer shifted her focus to fine arts, studying at McGill University and later earning a Master of Education degree at Pennsylvania State University, where she created the mural The Advance of Neurology (1954), which is housed at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Filer's career spanned teaching and working in Canada, the U.S., and England. She settled in Vancouver in 1967, becoming known for her large-scale, colorful glass sculptures incorporating glass shards. Filer received several accolades, including an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University and a silver medal from the Royal Canadian Architectural Institute. Her work remains highly regarded for its innovative approach to glass art.   Martha Isabel Houston (1896–1980) was a Canadian visual artist born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Colorado, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and French. She immigrated to Canada in 1914 and taught English, French, and art in small towns, including Magrath and High River, Alberta. Known for her versatility in various media, Houston became particularly passionate about linocut printing, capturing scenes from her travels to British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Arizona. She studied for over a decade at the Banff School of Fine Arts, creating delicate watercolors inspired by the Banff landscape. In 1975, Houston was featured in a retrospective at the High River Memorial Centre and was one of four artists chosen to exhibit at the Calgary Stampede. She retired from teaching in 1965, spending her later years traveling and continuing her artistic practice until her death in 1980. Her work is held in collections at the Museum of the Highwood, The Banff Centre, and the Canadian Pacific Railway Collection.   Marion Florence Nicoll (1909–1985) was a pioneering Canadian painter and one of Alberta’s first abstract artists. Born in Calgary to immigrant parents, she studied at the Ontario College of Art and the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art, and further trained in London, Regina, and New York. In 1933, she became the first female instructor at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art. Nicoll's early work focused on Alberta landscapes, but after meeting artist Jock Macdonald in 1946, she embraced automatism, leading her to develop a unique abstract style. She was a diverse artist, working in painting, printmaking, ceramics, and other media, and became the first female artist in the Prairies to be inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1977. Despite being forced to stop painting due to arthritis in 1971, she continued creating art using a technique she called clayprinting. Many of her works are housed at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and the Alberta College of Art and Design has a gallery named in her honor.   Margaret Dorothy Shelton (1915–2006) was a talented Canadian artist known for her delicate watercolors and intricate woodcuts that captured the beauty of the Alberta landscape. Born in Bruce, Alberta, and raised in the Drumheller Valley, she began sketching at a young age and studied at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) under A.C. Leighton and H.G. Glyde. Shelton’s work was characterized by a direct, unembellished interpretation of nature, reflecting the simplicity and vibrancy of the Alberta countryside. She became a significant figure in the development of printmaking in Canada, with her works featured in major collections such as the National Gallery of Canada and the Glenbow Museum. Shelton often traveled across Alberta on her bicycle, sketching and painting scenes from the landscape she loved. Her legacy is celebrated through her contributions to both painting and printmaking, leaving behind a rich body of work that continues to honor the natural beauty of her home province.   Laura Evans Reid (1883–1951) was an influential Canadian artist born in Guelph, Ontario. After marrying Dr. Robert Reid in 1908, she moved to Vegreville, Alberta, where she raised her family. Reid began painting at age 52, studying under Henry George Glyde through the University of Alberta’s Community Art program, and later at the Banff School of Fine Arts. Known for her bold, modernist style, Reid’s work often featured vibrant colors, thick brushstrokes, and black outlines, capturing landscapes of Vegreville and Ukrainian farm life. She also created socially conscious pieces, including the 1938 painting Soup Kitchen, which was one of Alberta’s first social commentary artworks. Active in Alberta’s art community, Reid exhibited her work widely and was a member of the Calgary Sketch Club and the Alberta Society of Artists. She passed away in 1951, leaving behind a legacy of impactful artwork, much of which is now housed at the University of Alberta Museums.  |
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