Mary E. Dignam (1860-1938)
Artist
Born in Port Burwell, Ontario, Dignam studied at the Western School of Art Design in London, Ontario. Like many other artists of her time, she travelled to England, Paris, Italy, and Holland to study art. She later returned to Ontario in 1891 where she established, and taught at, the Art Studios of Moulton Ladies’ College at McMaster University.
Dignam was a strong supporter of female artists and advocated for the recognition of women in the professional art scene. She is best known for founding the Women’s Art Association of Canada, the first organization in Canada of professional women artists. She was a part of several other associations including the Ontario Society of Artists, the Art Association of Montreal, and the Royal Canadian Academy.
While Dignam held strong and revolutionary views surrounding art and women’s rights, her work focused on everyday things such as floral studies, landscapes, and genre scenes. She used mostly pastels, watercolours, and oils in a Dutch style, but was later influenced by Impressionism.