BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Miriam Louise Peck

November 24 1900 - 1978

B.C. Society of Fine Arts (Member 1944-1953)


Class photograph 1918-19.


Miriam L. Peck was born in New Westminster on November 24 1900, according to BC Vital Statistics online. Her father was Gaius La Forest Peck, who worked as a Commisary and General Timekeeper for the Department of Public Works. Her mother's maiden name was Maria Louise Swain.

There were six children in the family. Gaius served overseas in World War One, and was finally invalided after being hit by shrapnel in the head. He returned to BC where he was noted as a Civil Engineer.

Peck is listed as a member of Class VI at the Provincial Normal School, in the annual for the school year 1918 - 1919, page 25. The annual notes her address as New Westminster, and includes a small poem about her:
     Miriam is Miss Coney's choice;
     Modesty has charmed her voice.

Peck studied art at the Vancouver Art School (referenced in the art school's 1927-28 Paintbox and the Prospectus for the 1928 - 1929 school year), and received a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Washington, majoring in art. She taught art in the Vancouver Public schools and later at the University of Manitoba, before moving to Washington State.

She exhibited in the B.C. Artists annual exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery from 1940 to 1946, and in the 1944 British Columbia At Work exhibition.

She joined the B.C. Society of Fine Arts in 1944, and exhibited in the society's annual exhibitions from 1942 to 1953.

As of June 2021 BC Vital Statistics had only the birth information listed for Peck. She apparently died in Bellingham, Washington State, in 1978.


SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION LOCATION
1944 August 29 - Sept. 17 Watercolours VAG
1948 Mar 30 - Apr 18 Textile designs (19) VAG

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK
1940 Sept. 20 - Oct. 13 VAG   B.C. Artists 9th Annual On the North Shore
March
1941 Sept. 26 - Oct. 19 VAG   B.C. Artists 10th Annual Fifty Below
Indian Village
1942 May 15 - 31 BCSFA   32nd Annual Wash Day in March
Slums in Seattle
1942 Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 VAG   B.C. Artists 11th Annual Cinder Cone
1943 May 15 - June 6 BCSFA   33rd Annual Glacial Rhythm
Along the Water Front, Port Alberni
1943 July 2 - Aug. 25 VAG   B.C. Artists 2nd Annual Summer Glacial Rhythm
1944 May 13 - June 4 BCSFA   34th Annual Deserted Goldberg
Shack Town
1944 July 4 - Aug. 30 VAG   B.C. Artists 3rd Annual Summer Deserted Goldberg
1944 Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 VAG   B.C. Artists 13th Annual Glacier Remnants
1944 Nov. 21 - Dec. 10 Labour Arts Guild   1st B.C. At Work Pioneer Gold Mine
Northern Spruce Mill
1945 May 18 - June 10 BCSFA   35th Annual Tide Rips at Princess Louisa Inlet
Deep Valley, Bralorne
1945 July 3 - Aug. 26 VAG   B.C. Artists 4th Annual Summer Tid Rip at Princess Louisa Inlet
Glacier Remnants
1946 May 31 - June 23 BCSFA   36th Annual Booming Grounds
1946 Sept. 21 - Oct. 13 VAG   B.C. Artists 15th Annual Over the Hill
1946 Oct. ? - ? FCA    40 Selections from 15th BCA Over the Hill
1947 May 9 - June 1 BCSFA   37th Annual From Goldrush Days
Magnolia
1949 May 3 - 22 BCSFA   39th Annual Summer Resort
1950 April 25 - May 14 BCSA   40th Annual Cinder Cone
Market Square, Old Quebec

References

ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)

BRITISH COLUMBIA WOMEN ARTISTS 1885-1985 (refer to AGGV85)

A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
      1 reference cited for Peck - Macdonald above

B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE birth (refer to BCVS)

VICTORIA CROSSES ON THE WESTERN FRONT
      Written by Paul Oldfield, published 2021.

Clippings

" ... together with oil and watercolour paintings by ... Miriam L. Peck ... all contribute much to this extraordinary show."
      From "B.C. Society of Fine Arts Display Sets New High Mark" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, May 16 1942

"Current exhibitions at the Gallery include ... the Miriam Peck remarkable show of woven textile designs attracting much attention among the fair sex ... "
      From "Vancouver Sculptor's Work On Display Soon" by Palette
      Vancouver Province, April 8 1948

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