Jacobine Jones facts for kids

Phyllis Jacobine Jones RCA (1897–1976) was a talented sculptor. She was born in England but moved to Canada in 1932.

Jacobine Jones's Artistic Journey

Jacobine Jones loved art from a young age. She traveled through Europe with her mother, visiting countries like Denmark, Italy, and France. When she was 28, she began studying sculpture seriously at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London. She learned how to cast, carve, and model. She even won a gold medal for her amazing animal sculptures! Later, she continued her studies in Italy, Denmark, and France, and her work was shown in art exhibitions.

One of her famous early works was a sculpture called St. Joan (1930). This beautiful piece, carved from Rouen stone, was shown at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. It was also displayed at the Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts and was later bought by the city of Glasgow for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Moving to Canada and Joining Art Societies

In 1932, Jacobine Jones moved to Canada and settled in York Mills, Toronto. She quickly became an important part of the Canadian art scene. In 1939, she joined the Sculptors' Society of Canada. She also became a member of the Ontario Society of Artists from 1951 to 1956.

From 1951 to 1956, she held a very important position: she was the head of the sculpture department at the Ontario College of Art. This shows how respected and skilled she was as an artist and teacher.

Exhibitions and Recognition

In 1969, Jacobine Jones had her own special art show at Rodman Hall in St. Catharines, Ontario. She lived in Niagara-on-the-Lake for many years. Her sculptures are now part of important collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, and the University of Guelph Art Collection. Her work is also found in many private collections. In 1954, she was made a full member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, which is a great honor for Canadian artists.

A book about her life and art, called Put On Her Mettle: The Life and Art of Jacobine Jones, was written by Natalie Luckyj.

Famous Sculptures by Jacobine Jones

Jacobine Jones created many impressive sculptures that can still be seen today. Her work often became part of buildings, known as architectural sculpture.

Here are some of her notable works:

• In 1934, she created architectural sculptures for the Gore Vale Insurance building in Galt, Ontario (now Cambridge, Ontario).
• She sculpted a family scene from prehistoric times for the main entrance of the Rogers Campus in Toronto. This sculpture includes the Latin words "Sic Vita Vitalis," which mean "Thus Is Life Livable."
• For the 1937 Bank of Canada Building in Ottawa, Ontario, she created seven figures. These figures represent Canada's main industries at that time: fishing, electricity, mining, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, and construction.
• She made figures of a Scholar and a Hockey Player for Kerr Hall at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto.
• In 1948, she created six animal-themed sculptures called bas-reliefs for the Bank of Montreal building at King & Bay Street in Toronto. These included a Walrus and a Skunk. They were later moved to Guildwood's sculpture garden in 1972.
• In 1950, she sculpted figures of important historical figures like John Graves Simcoe, Isaac Brock, Samuel de Champlain, and James Wolfe. These sculptures are on the Sigmund Samuel Canadiana Building, which is now part of the University of Toronto.