Mary Dignam
Encyclopedia
Mary Dignam born Mary Ella Williams, was a Canadian painter best remembered as a pioneer activist for women artists.
Williams was born in Port Burwell, Ontario
, Canada
and studied art at the Western School of Art and Design in London, Ontario
. In 1886 she went to New York City
to further her training at the Art Students League followed by time in Paris, France at the artist's workshop run by Raphaël Collin
(1850–1916) and Luc-Olivier Merson
(1846–1920).
Her paintings were primarily in floral and landscape subjects and were eventually exhibited in Canada and abroad. However, she was a tireless worker for female artists and was a founding member and the first President of the Toronto
based Women's Art Association of Canada (WAAC). She also helped establish the International Society of Women Painters and Sculptors with branches in London
, Paris
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and Melbourne
, Australia
. In 1900, she helped organize the first all-female, international art exhibition at the Grafton Gallery in London.
Dignam was hired by Moulton College
in Toronto
to establish and lead its art department.
She died in 1938 at the age of 78 in Toronto, Ontario.
Port Burwell, Ontario
Port Burwell is a community on the north shore of Lake Erie, in the municipality of Bayham in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada.It is situated at the mouth of Big Otter Creek.-History:...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and studied art at the Western School of Art and Design in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. In 1886 she went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to further her training at the Art Students League followed by time in Paris, France at the artist's workshop run by Raphaël Collin
Raphaël Collin
Raphaël Collin was born and raised in Paris, where he became a prominent academic painter and in later life a professor at the Académie des Beaux-Arts...
(1850–1916) and Luc-Olivier Merson
Luc-Olivier Merson
Luc-Olivier Merson was a French academic painter and illustrator also known for his postage stamp and currency designs....
(1846–1920).
Her paintings were primarily in floral and landscape subjects and were eventually exhibited in Canada and abroad. However, she was a tireless worker for female artists and was a founding member and the first President of the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
based Women's Art Association of Canada (WAAC). She also helped establish the International Society of Women Painters and Sculptors with branches in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In 1900, she helped organize the first all-female, international art exhibition at the Grafton Gallery in London.
Dignam was hired by Moulton College
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to establish and lead its art department.
She died in 1938 at the age of 78 in Toronto, Ontario.