Name/Title
Portrait of Union Club President, Grace Van den Brink (2019-2021)Entry/Object ID
2021.08.01Description
Painting
This portrait, commissioned by the Union Club of B.C., depicts Grace Van den Brink (1956-2026), the 72nd and first woman president (2019 to 2021) who aimed "to honour the Club's past, build on the present and embrace the future", and was active in creating a path for future women's leadership in the Club. Van den Brink guided the Club through the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic, a public health emergency of international impact with many challenges and she believed that crisis does not build character, it reveals character.
Of note, the pandemic was among the deadliest infectious diseases to have emerged in recent times, and it caused severe social and economic disruption around the world, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression (1929-1939).
Born in Victoria, Van den Brink held a B.A. (University of Victoria) and also took many professional courses in local government administration. She had more than 30 years of experience in communications, marketing and public relations in both Victoria and Vancouver. She successfully worked with a broad range of clients in both the private and public sector before joining the Public Affairs Bureau (B.C. government) and then served in local government First Nations relations until her retirement from the public service. Over the years, Grace also supported youth and education in many ways, volunteering for community and fundraising endeavours, including running events and the YMCA/YWCA of Greater Victoria. She served as chair of the Camosun College Foundation Board, as well as on the Greater Victoria Advisory Board for the Salvation Army.
This 3/4 view seated portrait depicts Van den Brink as confident and quietly dignified, deep in serious reflection, looking directly at the viewer. Her right arm rests on the chair arm with her chin in her right hand set against a spare but rich red-brown background. Her apricot-coloured blouse is offset by a deep blue skirt and shawl, and her silver hair is mirrored in her blouse and jewellery.
The Club's McKenzie Lounge was renamed by the General Committee in 2026 to honour Van den Brink. See the "Past Presidential Archive" on the Club's website.Type of Painting
EaselArtwork Details
Medium
Oil on CanvasSubject Place
Region
Pacific NorthwestContinent
North AmericaContext
Since the founding of the Union Club, this portrait of the first woman President Grace Van den Brink represents well over a century of great societal, technological and economic change, and of course many other pivotal advancements including women's rights as well as human rights more generally.
__________________________________
Founded in 1879, The Union Club of British Columbia is a landmark institution in the heart of downtown Victoria., B.C., considered the foremost business, social and cultural club in the city. This Union Club building on Gordon Street at Humboldt was recognized as nationally significant in 1995 by the joint federal, provincial and territorial administered registry, Canada’s Historic Places. And in 2017, The Union Club of British Columbia was declared a National Historic Site by the Government of Canada. This Union Club building, the club's third venue completed in 1913, earned the prestigious status for its important early history and outstanding architecture of Beaux-Arts Italian Renaissance Revival Style.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Barbara LeeRole
PainterDate made
2021Time Period
21st CenturyNotes
ARTIST STATEMENT – PORTRAIT OF GRACE VAN DEN BRINK
From the outset, I wanted the portrait to draw upon the traditions of formal portraiture while also acknowledging the significance of the occasion. Grace Van den Brink was the first female President of the Union Club of British Columbia, and this portrait was commissioned in 2021 to commemorate that achievement, marking an important moment in the Club's history.
Portraits have long played an important role in the visual culture of private clubs and institutions, preserving the histories of those who have shaped them. As a British Columbian artist, I was aware of the significance of being entrusted with painting the Union Club's first female President and contributing to a visual record that reflects the Club's changing history.
The background is intentionally rich in colour yet ambiguous in location. While the Club serves as an important institutional setting, I did not want the portrait to be defined by a specific room or interior. Instead, the focus remains on Grace herself.
As the painting evolved, her attire became less tailored and formal, emphasizing her femininity and individuality. The blue wrap introduced a regal quality while providing a strong visual counterpoint to the warm burnt sienna tones of the background and the light values of her face and blouse.
The composition is deliberately simplified, relying on a restrained palette and three dominant colour fields. The lower portion of the painting is less defined, encouraging the viewer's eye to remain on Grace's face and hands, where the greatest attention has been given to tonal modelling and expression. I wanted the portrait to convey warmth, openness, and quiet confidence as Grace meets the viewer's gaze directly.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born in England, Barbara Lee grew up in northern Ontario, and moved to Victoria, B.C. some 30 years ago. She studied fine art at the Victoria College of Art and has continued her education through workshops and online studies. More recently, she spent four months studying portraiture and still life at Heatherleys School of Fine Art in London, U.K.
Working mostly in oils and pastel, Lee is a representational artist known for her painterly approach to her still life, portrait and landscape work. She draws inspiration from scenes of southern Vancouver Island, the family, friends and others who sit for her portraits, and treasured everyday objects. She maintains a dedicated studio practice.
Lee is active in the Victoria arts community, and frequently showcases her work in and around the city including exhibiting her work in the Sooke Fine Arts Show, the Sidney Fine Art Show, in the Metchosin ArtPod Gallery, and at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s Paint-In. In addition to Van den Brink’s portrait, Lee has completed numerous commissioned portraits.Dimensions
Height
101.6 cmWidth
76.2 cmAcquisition
Acquisition Method
Commissioned by Union Club
