| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
In 1894 she went to study art at the Slade School in London, England, following that with further training at the Academie Julian in Paris. In 1899 she achieved the honour of being the first woman to receive the Gold Medal awarded annually for the best work done in all twenty-seven student ateliers in Paris. The following year she won the Prix Smith-Julian.
She returned to England and exhibited her work in numerous major exhibitions and salons. She also had exhibitions of her work in Victoria in 1902 and 1904, and in Vancouver in 1904 at the studio of James Blomfield.
In 1907 two articles by Pemberton were published in Westward Ho!, a journal that was founded and published in Vancouver starting that year. The two articles were titled "Artists I Have Known," in one she discussed the model Bibi la Puree, and in the other John Minards. Illustrations of each model were published in the magazine.
She had many further solo exhibitions over the years, including at the Little Centre in Victoria; two shows at The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria; and a major retrospective at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1954. According to Macdonald she had eighteen solo exhibitions of her work.
She also had work in Island Arts and Crafts Society exhibitions in 1916, 1921, and 1922.
She lived in Victoria from 1947 until her death in 1959.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
CONTEMPORARIES OF EMILY CARR IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (refer to SFU74)
PLANTAE OCCIDENTALIS - 200 Years of Botanical Art in British Columbia
1979, By Maria Newberry House, The Botanical Garden, U.B.C., Technical Bulletin No 11
Exhibition catalogue, illustrated; list of works; ISSN 0703-1432
Includes one work by Pemberton, Yellow Pond-lily.
ARTISTS OVERLAND (refer to BAG80)
BRITISH COLUMBIA WOMEN ARTISTS 1885-1985 (refer to AGGV85)
BRITISH COLUMBIA - A CENTENNIAL ANTHOLOGY (refer to BCCA58)
PERMANENT COLLECTION (refer to AGGV64)
THE FINE ARTS IN VANCOUVER, 1886 - 1930 (refer to THOM69)
CREATIVE CANADA - Volumes One & Two (refer to CC71)
Includes one column of information about Pemberton
ISLAND ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY - List of Exhibitors
FROM DESOLATION TO SPLENDOUR (refer to FDTS77)
ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS - EXHIBITIONS & MEMBERS 1880 - 1979 (refer to RCA81)
ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)
MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - SPRING EXHIBITIONS 1880 - 1970 (refer to MM88)
A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
12 references cited for Pemberton.
"A WOMAN'S PLACE", edited by K.A. Finlay
Art and the Role of Women in the Cultural Formation of Victoria, B.C. 1850s-1920s
2006; ISBN 1-55058-288-7; 130 pages, softcover, illust. in colour and black and white
Published by Maltwood Museum and Gallery, University of Victoria
Includes information on numerous early B.C. women artists, including Pemberton
INDEPENDENT SPIRIT - EARLY CANADIAN WOMEN ARTISTS by A.K. Prakash
2008; ISBN 978-1-55407-417-4; hardcover, 410 pages
Published by Firefly Books, Richmond Hills ON. Extensively illustrated
Includes biographies, index of early Canadian women artists, list of
illustrations, index
Includes information and works illustrated for
Emily Carr,
Sophie Pemberton,
Mary Riter Hamilton.
VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY - B.C. ARTISTS FILES (refer to VPL)