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The De Cosmos Fine Arts Society had
its
beginnings in 1966 and, with a current membership of over 120, it
continues to be a vibrant part of the arts community in
the Oceanside area of central Vancouver Island. If you want to
learn more read
"History" below. Details
relating to contacts, membership
and meetings are also given
below.
President - Ann Davies OCAC Liaison - Jacqueline Murray-Hall Contacts Please report any broken links or errors and also make suggestions for new items to the web editor.
Meetings are held at the Oceanside Community Arts Council Gallery, 133 MacMillan St., Parksville on the third Thursday of each month except in June, July and August. At each meeting there is a short business segment starting at 1:00 p.m. followed by refreshments and then by a guest artist. Please note - there is usually a bus trip scheduled in June. There is also the opportunity to spend studio time at the gallery. For details see the "Upcoming Events" page. History of the De Cosmos Fine Arts Society. In 1966 Jean Vowel and Agnes Doolittle, two local artists, met frequently in an attic studio to share ideas and inspiration. They invited others to join them and by 1967 there were 17 in the group. They held monthly meetings in each others' homes until a more formal meeting place was acquired, this being in the kitchen of the Parksville Community Hall. An executive was created, with June Moillet as the first president. Bylaws were drawn up. Local artists gave art instruction and demonstrations to the club members. Occasionally the monthly meetings were held at June Moillet's home and June's other artist friends were invited. Some of these had ties with the Victoria Art Gallery and through them artists from Victoria also gave talks to the group. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting events in those early years was a showing of works by the Group of Seven. The show was held at the Qualicum Beach Recreation Centre. Displays of local high school art students' work and DeCosmos artists' work were held in side rooms at the same time. By the late 1970's regular meetings were held on the third Thursday of each month in the Emily Carr room of the Parksville Arts Council. Over the years, and for various reasons, meetings have been held in different locations including The Old School House in Qualicum Beach and The Rogues Gallery in Parksville. Our current meeting place is at the Oceanside Community Arts Council Galleries, Studio B at 133 MacMillan St., Parksville. Why is the Decosmos Fine Arts Society so called? - It is thought that the Society was named for Mt Decosmos which is located in the Nanaimo area. The mountain itself is named for a British Columbia politician Amor De Cosmos (1825-1897). The self-named Amor was a colourful and eccentric character who attended university in Nova Scotia then joined the California Gold Rush. After various entrepenurial ventures he returned to Canada and settled in Victoria on Vancouver Island. He founded a newspaper, The Daily British Colonist, which survives today in its current incarnation as the Victoria Times-Colonist. Amor's birth name was Smith but he changed it to Amor De Cosmos which he inaccurately translated as "Lover of the Universe". This name change was to pay tribute he said, "to what I love most...love of order, beauty, the world, the universal."
A Honorary
Reunion Tea and Reception was held
on July 4th, 2009 with some of our founding members
present. Photographs by Jack Hill. |
