Euphemia "Betty" McNaught (October 8, 1901 – May 24, 2002) was a Canadian
impressionist
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...
painter who focused primarily on landscapes and pioneer lifestyles in Alberta.
In 1942, McNaught was commissioned by Canadian Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who was the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Liberal ...
Born in Glen Morris, Ontario in 1901 to Charles McNaught and Eliza Conner, Euphemia McNaught moved from Glen Morris, Ontario, to Beaverlodge, Alberta at the age of 10. After graduating from the local school, she taught there for two years. Afterwards, she enrolled in the
Ontario College of Art and Design
Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD U, is a public art university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its main campus is located within Toronto's Grange Park and Entertainment District neighbourhoods ...
, and studied under
Group of Seven
The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...
members
Arthur Lismer
Arthur Lismer, LL.D. (27 June 1885 – 23 March 1969) was an English-Canadian painter, member of the Group of Seven and educator. He is known primarily as a landscape painter and for his paintings of ships in dazzle camouflage.
Early life
...
Annora Brown
Mary Annora Brown L.L. D. (1899–1987), known as Annora Brown, was a Canadian visual artist whose work encompassed painting and graphic design. She was best known for her depictions of natural landscapes, wildflowers, and First Nations communit ...
.
She graduated the college in 1929 and moved to
Calgary
Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
to pursue teaching at the
Mount Royal College
Mount Royal University (MRU) is a public university in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally “Mount Royal College,” Mount Royal University was granted university status in 2009 by the provincial government. The university has an average class s ...
. In 1931, after two years of teaching in Calgary, she moved to
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy.
From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...
, Ontario, to teach at the
Ontario Ladies' College
Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ontario is an internationally known, independent day and boarding school for girls and young women in grades 4 through 12. Boarding at the school begins in grade 7. Founded in 1874 as "Ontario Ladies' College", ...
. After a brief absence due to her father's death and her job painting the Alaska Highway, she began teaching at the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, t ...
Department of Extension in Grand Prairie in 1955.
Along with the Alberta Society of Artists, McNaught's work was displayed at the 1931 Calgary Stampede and Exhibition. In 1973, McNaught joined the Peace Watercolour Society.
In 1985, she was elected as a lifetime member of the Alberta Society of Artists. She died at the age of 100 in 2002.
After her death, McNaught's pieces were featured in the
National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...
.
Awards
In 1977, McNaught was awarded the Alberta Achievement Award of Excellence in Art. She also was the first recipient of the Sir Frederick Haultain Prize in 1982.