Lilias Farley facts for kids

Lilias Marianne Ar de Soif Farley (born May 2, 1907 – died August 2, 1989) was a talented Canadian artist. She worked as a painter, sculptor, designer, and muralist. Her art included both realistic and abstract styles. In 1967, she received the Canadian Centennial Medal for her great contributions to the arts in Canada. She was one of the first students to graduate from the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts, which is now known as the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Early Life and Artistic Journey

Lilias Farley was born in Ottawa, Canada. In 1924, her family moved to Vancouver. She started studying at the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Art in 1925. She earned her diploma in design in 1929. At the Vancouver School of Art, she learned design from James W. G. "Jock" Macdonald and drawing from Frederick Horsman Varley. She also got to work with Charles Marega. In her third or fourth year, she won a scholarship for design.

Farley also studied architectural sculpture at the University of British Columbia. She did more studies in theatre design and puppetry. Besides Macdonald and Varley, other artists influenced her work. These included stage designer Harry Tauber, sculptor Ivan Meštrović, and puppeteer Richard Teschner. Lilias Farley mostly created art using wood, stone, and mosaic.

Career Highlights

By the 1930s, Farley began showing her art at the Vancouver Art Gallery. From 1933 to 1935, she taught design classes at the new British Columbia College of Art. She was also a founding member of the Federation of Canadian Artists in 1941. She led the Pasovas Arts Club in Vancouver as its President. In the 1940s, she became an elected member of the Sculptors Society of Canada. In 1960, she was made a Life Fellow of the International Institute of Arts and Letters.

In 1948, Farley moved from British Columbia to Whitehorse, Yukon. There, she taught art at Whitehorse High School until 1972. She also became the first director for the Yukon of the Canadian Crafts Council from 1973 to 1974. She lived in Whitehorse until she passed away at age 83.

Famous Murals and Designs

While in Vancouver, Farley painted two large murals for the new Hotel Vancouver in 1939. These murals also had bronze details. She also carved patterns for the Vancouver Post Office. In Whitehorse, she painted murals called History of the Yukon for the Supreme Court Chambers in the Federal Building in 1955. In Ottawa, she made colorful plates for the Department of Indian Affairs, which is now called Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

Where Her Art Was Shown

Lilias Farley's artwork was displayed in many important exhibitions. These shows helped people see her unique style.

Solo Exhibitions

• Vancouver Art Gallery, 1946: This show featured several of her works. Some of these included Figure in Black, Obeisance, Medieval Maiden, and The End of the Shift.
• Whitehorse Public Library, Yukon Territory, 1986: This exhibition was called Lilias Farley: A Retrospect. It looked back at her many years of art.

Group Exhibitions

Farley's sculptures, designs, and paintings were part of many group shows.

• Pasovas Arts Club, Vancouver Art Gallery: In 1930, she showed a watercolor called Tree Panel, along with sculptures. In 1932, she displayed marionettes and sketches from her play The Witch Doctor.
• British Columbia Artists Annual, Vancouver Art Gallery: She exhibited various sculptures here in many years, including 1932, 1934–37, 1941, and 1945.
• Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Art Association of Montreal: In 1937, she showed two sculptures: Meditation and Obeisance. Later, she exhibited Carved Head, Dance Pattern, Leaf Unfolding, and Angel.
• British Columbia Society of Fine Arts, Vancouver Art Gallery: Here, she showed sculptures like Meditation, Obeisance, Spring Form, and Native Dance. She also displayed photographs of her Hotel Vancouver mural sketches.
• Art Gallery of Toronto (now Art Gallery of Ontario): In 1936, she showed Head and Carvings in Mahogany. In 1938, she displayed wooden sculptures like Madonna and Medieval Maiden.

Other places where her art was shown include:

• Sculptors Society of Canada, 1940s
• Northwest Institute Sculpture Annual Exhibition, Vancouver Art Gallery, 1956.
• Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, 1956.
• British Columbia Sculpture, University of British Columbia, 1958.

Awards and Recognition

Lilias Farley received several awards for her artistic achievements.

• "Highly commended" for textile designs: She earned this at the British Empire Industrial Arts Exhibition in London, England, in 1930.
• First prize Labour Arts Award: She won this for her sculpture End of the Shift at the British Columbia at Work Exhibition in 1945.
• Centennial Medal for Service to the Nation in the Arts: This important medal was given to her in 1967.
• Yukon Commissioner's Award: She received this award in 1983 for her outstanding contributions to the arts.