Artist Information
Artist
William "Will" Menelaws (1883-1966)Role
PainterDate made
n.d.Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, William (Will) Menelaws studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and spent several years studying architecture. He was a pupil of Heriot-Watt College, and the Royal Scottish Academy Life School winning the Keith Prize in 1903. A noted and prolific artist, he is best known for his fine portraiture and landscapes. He painted in oil, watercolour, pastel, and in tempera for this work as well for stage scenery and window backgrounds, and also drawing in pen and ink.
Menelaws came to Victoria in 1913, and became one of the founders of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and the Victoria Sketch Club, a continuation of the Island Arts and Crafts Society. He became well known as a teacher, both from his own studio and in Victoria area schools, notably at Glenlyon Norfolk for 16 years and for 30 years at Oak Bay Senior High.
Menelaws exhibited his work with the Island Arts and Crafts Society starting in 1912 up until 1940. He also exhibited at the B.C. Society of Fine Arts spring exhibitions , The Seattle Art Museum, the British Columbia At Work exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, and had his own one-man show at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in 1962 at which the then director Colin Graham called him the “Dean of Victoria artists.” He was made a life member of the Victoria Sketch Club in 1964, the year he moved to Port Angeles, Washington.
Menelaws was also one of 118 Canadian artists who, in 1932, demanded reform at the National Gallery of Canada including a government investigation and threatened a contentious boycott. In addition to the Gallery, the controversy involved the Canadian Group of Seven, the Royal Canadian Academy, various key artist societies (incl. the Island Arts and Crafts Society), Government Ministers and many professional artists. See Web Links.
