Gertrude Euphemia (Effie) Smith (1867 – 1960)
Title: Untitled floral
Size: 21 7/8” x 29 1/4” mat opening ( 30 7/8” x 38 1/4” framed ) ………….. $595.00
Gertrude Euphemia Smith, better known as Effie Smith, was a highly celebrated artist in the Guelph community. World renowned, her florals were reproduced on greeting cards, birthday cards, and postcards. This floral arrangement in a vase is a rather large work for the artist. The mixed media of both gouache and pastel on toned David Cox paper retains it’s original French mat board and Roberts Gallery frame.
Gertrude Euphemia “Effie” Smith was born in Cumberland, Ontario in 1867. A decade later, she and her family moved to Guelph, where she attended Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute and developed her artistic skills. Her art education continued in Hamilton, Ontario, but her interest in china painting took her to Chicago, home of some of America’s best china painting studios such as Pickard, Stouffer, Osborne, and Whites. Latter, European china painting supplies in North America became very limited, so Effie began working in oils, watercolours, and pastels. Smith was an early member of the Guelph Painters Group which later amalgamated to form the Guelph Creative Arts Association in 1948. She worked as both a Commercial and studio artist. Austin Marshall of Toronto offered several note cards featuring Effie Smith’s artworks, which included depictions of hollyhocks, camellias, geraniums, peonies, petunias, dahlias, lilacs, and others. The artist died in her Glasgow Street home on July 16, 1960.
Copyright of the artist and or the artist estate.