Biography of GRACE WILSON MELVIN

MELVIN, Grace Wilson (1890/92/96-1977). Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Melvin studied, and taught illuminated manuscripts and lettering, at the Glasgow School of Art (1905-1916?); and in London and Paris. At the request of her brother-in-law, Charles H. Scott, she came to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1927 to be Head of the Design Department at the Vancouver School of Art a position she held until 1952. She is best known for vellum illuminations, religious scenes and altar pieces. She also painted gardens, landscapes, and urban and coastal scenes in watercolour, oil and ink influenced by Art Nouveau design. Some of her later collages are abstract.  She travelled extensively to England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Hawaii and Alaska. She died in Vancouver. Melvin wrote Basic Lettering for Art Students (1930), illustrated The Indian Speaks by Marius Barbeau (1943), and was involved in the formation of an artists’ colony on Hornby Island, British Columbia. She exhibited with the RCA in 1932, and had a solo exhibition at the VAG in 1972. Her work is to be found in the collections of the AGGV, BAG, BM, GM, NGC and St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England.

Biography courtesy of The Collector's Dictionary of Canadian Artists at Auction: Volume III: M-R

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