Artist BIOGRAPHY: KINSMAN, Kay (Katherine Bell) (1909-1998). Artist. Born in Los Angeles, California in 1909. Both her parents had died by the time she was nine, and she was raised by her grandmother while attending private schools in Cuba and Jaimaica until, at 21, leaving her job at the Havana Times, she moved to France. EDUCATION: While studying at the Parons School of Applied Art (1930-132) and later in Paris at L’Ecole Amedee Ozenfant, under Ozenfant (c. 1932) where Kinsman did illustration work for various publications including the Canadian Home Journal and Chatelaine. She met her husband Ronald D. L. Kinsman. Together they moved to Switzerland and in 1939 to Montreal where she studied with Anne Savage and Arthur Lismer at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School (1945-1949). At the death of her husband she moved to England and studied at the Malvern School of Art while painting the countryside (1971-1981). Returning to Lennoxville, Quebec she later earned a Master of Arts degree in Medieval History from McGill in 1986 and in 1989 received an honorary doctorate (D. C. L. Honoris Causa) from Bishop’s University. EXHIBITIONS: Galerie Canard de bois (, SHerbrooke, Quebec); Musee des beaux-arts (Sherbrooke, Quebec); Royal Canadian Academy (Ottawa, Ontario); Spring Salon, Art Associatio (Montreal, Quebec); Britain in Water Colour (London, England); Women in Art (London, England); Royal Water Colour Society (London, England); Mall Galleries (London, England); Bishop’s University Art Gallery (Sherbrooke, Quebec); La Societe d’Histoire des Cantons de l’Est (Sherbrooke, Quebec); Musee Beaulne (Coaticook, Quebec); Lennoxville Gallery (Lennoxville, Quebec); Lennoxville Festival (Lennoxville, Quebec); Pershore Festival (Worcestershire, England); Broadway (Gloucesthire, England); Mountain Playhouse (Montreal, Quebec); Play Ville-Marie (Montreal, Quebec). PUBLICATIONS: She was noted for her watercolours representing the city, especially parts of Old Montreal. Kinsman published three books of her art: Lennoxville Sketchbook (1990), Broadway Sketchbook (1974) and Montreal Sketchbook (1967) as well as ‘The Adventures of Janey’ (1995) and ‘Sing Cuccu Nu’ (1986). COLLECTIONS: Kinsman’s work is collected internationally in Spain and England and can be found in: the Rothchild Collection (Montreal); R Martindale Collection (Spain); Stratford-Upon-Avon Gallery (England); Musee des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke (Quebec). ARCHIVES: Kinsman has heavily represented in various archives including: University of British Columbia, Fine Arts Library; National Gallery of Canada, ON; Eastern Townships Archives; Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; Musee d’art contemporain de Montreal; Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre; Bishop’s University, QC. REFERENCES: CWAHI; Wikipedia; ‘Kay Kinsman and Bishops’: The Kingsman Papers’ by Jack Eby)
NOTES: “Kay Kinsman’s serene paintings describe the simple things and subtle pleasures that are at the core of everyday life. Her supple and sinuous drawing flows across the page, free of all constraints except that of transforming the subject according to her fancy and imagination. Directly, through line and colour, the artist conveys her mood, her emotions.” (Source: Kay Kinsman: Spontaneous Visions, Nadeau-Saumier)
