BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

James William Keagey

April 29 1878 - October 5 1956

Canadian Handicrafts Guild (Member)
B.C. Society of Fine Arts (Vice President 1917, President 1918-1919)
B.C. Society of Fine Arts/B.C. Society of Artists: Exhibitor's Timeline


James W. Keagey was born in West Flamborough, Ontario in 1878. He studied in Toronto, Philadelphia, and in Rome. He was a registered architect in British Columbia from 1910 to 1919. In 1911 he was commissioned to design the Vancouver Rowing Club building on the shoreline of Coal Harbour, Vancouver.


Vancouver Rowing Club. Photos G. Sim

He was an early member of the B.C. Society of Fine Arts, and served the group in the positions of Vice-President and President. He exhibited with the group from at least April 1915 until the 1918 Annual Exhibition. It was noted in local reviews that he had received his artistic training in Europe, and trained under Pennell.

He was listed in the 1914 Social Register as a member of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild.

One of his etchings/aquatints is in the collection of the National Gallery in Ottawa, and is illustrated in their catalogue of Canadian Art, Volume Two / G - K.

Keagey died in Dundas, Ontario in 1956.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1915 April BCSFA   Works by Members Old Norman "Stair" Canterbury Cathedral
Arch of Titus, Rome
Door to Wine House, Alhambra, Spain
Landscape in Crayons
1916 September BCSFA    Annual Exhibition Quiet Pastures
(2 prints)
1917 Sept. 14 - 22 BCSFA   Eleventh Exhibition Old Mosque, Cairo (Etching)
Forest Fires (Etching)
Boats in Harbour (Etching)
"Le Roi Est Mort" (Dry Point)
East Transept, Entrance Plan Cathedral
Etching

References

THE FINE ARTS IN VANCOUVER, 1886 - 1930 (refer to THOM69)

ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS - EXHIBITIONS & MEMBERS 1880 - 1979 (refer to RCA81)
      One etching listed: Old Muski, Cairo, dated 1917.

CANADIAN ART VOLUME TWO / G - K
      Catalogue of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
      Editor Pierre B. Landry in collaboration with Claire Champ
      1994, National Gallery of Canada; ISBN 0-88884-638-X
      11 pages front matter; 392 pages catalogue; index
      One work by Keagey illustrated & concise biography.

A NEW CLASS OF ART - The Artist's Print in Canadian Art, 1877 - 1920
      1996, Rosemary L. Tovell, ISBN 0-88884-655-X; published by National Gallery of Canada
      Technically an exhibition catalogue of travelling show, but has extensive information.
      Illustrated; includes endnotes; list of works; selected references; index
      An excellent overview of an important period of Canadian printmaking
      Includes information on Keagey.

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      2 references cited for Keagey, incl. RCA above.

INDEX TO NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA EXHIBITION CATALOGUES and CHECKLISTS 1880 - 1930
      2007; ISBN 978-0-88884-835-2; softcover, 514 pages
      Published by National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives: Occasional Paper Number 7
      Includes essay, catalogues, artist listings, collector listings, bibliography
      5 works listed by Keagey, page 295, in 4 exhibitions.

BUILDING THE WEST - Early Architects of British Columbia
      2003; Edited by Donald Luxton, numerous contributing authors and researchers
      Talonbooks, ISBN 0-88922-474-9
      560 pages, extensively illustrated in black and white, some colour
      Biographies of over 400 architects and firms; extensive bibliography
      Brief references to Keagey

Clippings

"There are three very small but very fine works in a rather dark corner by Mr. J.W. Keagey, Nos. 101, 102, and 103. They are mezzotints or something of the kind and they are of good quality, one of them "Quiet Pastures," being especially desirable."
      From "With The B.C. Artists" by "A Visitor"
      Vancouver Province, September 27 1916

"Among members who have had the advantage of European training in the continental schools are ... J.W. Keagey ..."
      From "Eleventh Annual Exhibition of Fine Arts" by Bernard McEvoy
      Studio Magazine, London England, February 15 1918

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