In 1881, when Alma College, a private school for ladies opened in St Thomas, Ontario, F.M. Bell-Smith established an Academy of fine Arts where students studies all varieties of drawing and painting in oils and water colours and learned the arts of the day, like painting on silk an china, and colouring photographs. In addition to his work as an educator, Bell-Smith was a man of his times. F.M Bell-Smith: A Canadian Pioneer provides a glimpse into other aspects of his life as an artist in Canada. It provides a context for understanding the opportunities available to Alma students in the late nineteenth century and shows the many ways they benefitted from the knowledge and experience of one of the pioneers of Canadian art.
You can read more about the early art program at Alma in a companion book, Bell-Smith at Alma: The Founding of an Art Academy at Alma College in St Thomas, Ontario, and a Legacy for Canadian Art.
You can read more about the early art program at Alma in a companion book, Bell-Smith at Alma: The Founding of an Art Academy at Alma College in St Thomas, Ontario, and a Legacy for Canadian Art.