Mildred Valley Thornton
Encyclopedia
Mildred Valley Thornton Hon. CPA
, FRSA (7 May 1890 – 27 July 1967) was born Mildred Valley Stinson a Canadian
portrait and landscapepainter
. She studied in Toronto, Ontario and Chicago, Illinois and later married Henry Thornton a Confectioner and emigrant of England.
In 1913 she moved with her family to Regina
, Saskatchewan
.
, an American sculptor of repute. With artistic aspirations her family encouraged her to seek out her dream of being an artist knowing a woman could be successful in the field. In the first instance she painted her surroundings of Lambton Country, Ontario to include a few portraits and later when she would attended art schools namely Olivet College
, Michigan, the Ontario School of Art and Art Institute of Chicago
. With family in America and living close to the U.S. boarder she was naturally drawn to the American art scene which at the time was far more established than the Canadian art scene.
in London
, England
in 1954. In 2000 Thornton was posthumously made an Honourary Member of the Canadian Portrait Academy
thereby granted the acronyms Hon. CPA
. In the same year she was honoured as one of the "Top 100 Portrait Artists in 20th Century Canada".
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
, FRSA (7 May 1890 – 27 July 1967) was born Mildred Valley Stinson a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
portrait and landscapepainter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. She studied in Toronto, Ontario and Chicago, Illinois and later married Henry Thornton a Confectioner and emigrant of England.
Education and training
Thornton's early education was in Lambton County. Artistically she trained at the Olivet College in Michigan, USA as well as the Ontario School of Art and the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago.Private Life
Thornton was born in Rutherford in the Township of Dawn, Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were Edward Stinson an Irish immigrant from Cork, Ireland and Clara Delitia Valentina Longman from Cook County, Illinois, USA.In 1913 she moved with her family to Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
Career
Thornton's career commenced at a young age when she learned about her aunt the noted sculptor Evelyn Beatrice LongmanEvelyn Beatrice Longman
Evelyn Beatrice Longman was the first woman sculptor to be elected a full member of the National Academy of Design in 1919. Her allegorical figure works were commissioned as monuments and memorials, adornment for public buildings, and attractions at art expositions in early 20th-century America.-...
, an American sculptor of repute. With artistic aspirations her family encouraged her to seek out her dream of being an artist knowing a woman could be successful in the field. In the first instance she painted her surroundings of Lambton Country, Ontario to include a few portraits and later when she would attended art schools namely Olivet College
Olivet College
Olivet College is a coeducational, liberal arts college located in Olivet, Michigan, United States, south of Lansing and west of Detroit. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, and accredited by the North Central...
, Michigan, the Ontario School of Art and Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
. With family in America and living close to the U.S. boarder she was naturally drawn to the American art scene which at the time was far more established than the Canadian art scene.
Exhibitions
Thornton exhibited widely during her career to include Royal Commonwealth Institute;Awards and Honours
Throughout Thornton's latter part of her career she received several awards an honours to include being elected as a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Society of ArtsRoyal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1954. In 2000 Thornton was posthumously made an Honourary Member of the Canadian Portrait Academy
Canadian Portrait Academy
The Canadian Portrait Academy , is a professional Canadian art academy dedicated to the practice and appreciation of portraiture within Canada and abroad.-History:...
thereby granted the acronyms Hon. CPA
Canadian Portrait Academy
The Canadian Portrait Academy , is a professional Canadian art academy dedicated to the practice and appreciation of portraiture within Canada and abroad.-History:...
. In the same year she was honoured as one of the "Top 100 Portrait Artists in 20th Century Canada".