Olivia Smith

The People

Olivia Smith

← People of the Society · on record 1956–1987

The Society’s records

Everything the Society’s own records say of Olivia Smith: the offices held, the standings conferred, and the awards won. Where the records are silent, so is this part of the page.

In memoriam · 2 October 1987

Remembered in the same Autumn 1987 issue (p. 5) as Irene Lane and Clara Cavanagh, in a tribute by Jeanie Little. She continued attending Society meetings even after she could no longer work at her craft. The date is from her death notice in the Toronto Star, 4 October 1987, p. 79, which names her a member of the Society.

From Summer/Fall 1987, page 5.

Also recorded as O. Smith

Standing

Toronto Branch Member 1979

Branch

Toronto · listed as a member in 1979

Certification

Associate of the CSCL 1956
Fellow of the CSCL 1958
The election notice prints the town as “Toronto, Ont.”.

One of the Society’s most active officers over three decades. Three pieces were chosen for “Ontario Crafts – Leather Today”, the Society’s Centennial travelling exhibition: a belt with a sterling buckle, candle sticks with copper cups and coasters. The Canadian Guild of Crafts (Ontario) selected the articles; the exhibition opened at the Guild Shop on 2 October 1967 and was to travel across Canada during 1968. She showed four pieces at Leather '74, the Society's exhibition at the Toronto Public Libraries' Learning Resources Centre, 666 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, 3-28 June 1974; five pieces in the Society's exhibition at the Craft Gallery and Resource Centre of the Ontario Crafts Council, 346 Dundas Street West, Toronto, 2-28 March 1976; and four pieces at Leather '78, the Society's exhibition at the Etobicoke Civic Centre, 550 Burnhamthorpe Road, November 1978. She was made a Life Member of the Society in 1981, presented at the 31st Annual Meeting along with Clara Cavanagh, Viola Harris and Nora Huyck.

From Spring 1956; Autumn 1980, page 10; Leather ’74: exhibition catalogue, Toronto Public Libraries, page 6; Exhibition catalogue 1976: Craft Gallery of the Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, page 6; Leather ’78: exhibition catalogue, Etobicoke Civic Centre, page 6; 32nd Annual Meeting 1982: programme, Holiday Inn West, Toronto, page 5; and Fall 1967, page 9.

Held the Society's professional stamp No. XXIV, issued in 1956, returned in 1984.

From Register of professional stamps, May 2012.

Served the Society as

Treasurer 1956–1958
Publicity 1959
C.N.E. Demonstrator 1962
10th Assembly Committee - Demonstrations 1964
Executive Council 1964–1980
11th Assembly Demonstrator 1965
Chairman Exhibitions Committee 1969
Exhibition Chairman (C.N.E.) 1969
Library Committee 1975–1977
Council 1976–1978
World Crafts Council Delegate 1976
Financial Auditor 1979
Director 1981–1987

Honours

Life Membership 1981
Presented at the 1981 Annual Meeting, Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland), Ontario, one of four Life Memberships given "to the following long-time members of the C.S.C.U. in recognition of their years of service to the Society."

Awards

C.N.E. Arts and Crafts, Women's Division 1975
C.N.E. Class 223, Non-tooled leather article: 2nd 1961
C.N.E. Competitions 1962 - Leathercraft 1962
C.N.E. Non-tooled leather article: 2nd 1969
Canadian Handicraft Guild Competition 1966
Canadian Handicrafts Guild (Ontario) selection for the Dartmouth College exhibition 1967
Canadian Handicrafts Guild Competition First Prize 1958, 1959, 1963
Canadian Handicrafts Guild Competition Second Prize 1956
Canadian National Exhibition Leathercraft Prize (Women's Division) 1971, 1974
Canadian National Exhibition Second Prize 1963, 1970, 1976
Canadian National Exhibition Women's Division 1972, 1977
Canadian National Exhibition Women's Division 1st Place 1973
Canadian National Exhibition Women's Division 2nd Place 1973
Craftsman Ribbon 1967, 1970, 1978, 1979, 1980
International Assembly Craftsmanship Ribbon 1964
International Assembly Salon Ribbon 1964
Leather '76 Craftsman Award 1976
Leather '78 Honourable Mention 1978
Salon Award 1967
Western Fair 1st Prize 1973
Western Fair Third Prize 1974

Demonstrations given

Dyeing 1971
21st Annual
From Summer 1971, page 2.
Lino cuts 1976
26th Annual
From Summer 1976, page 6.
Lino Block Cutting (assisting Carol McLean) 1981
31st Annual
From 31st Annual Meeting 1981: programme, Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland).
Sponge Dyeing 1983
Toronto Branch meeting, May 1983
From Summer 1983, page 17.

Where this comes from

Life and work

From the tribute Jeanie Little wrote for the Society's newsletter. Other lines come from the sources named under each.

Work: She met regularly with former colleagues from her days at the C.P.R.
From Summer/Fall 1987, page 5.
Study: She had trained in elocution and music.
From Summer/Fall 1987, page 5.
Teaching: She taught enamelling on copper in the same 1962 Simcoe County Arts and Crafts Association course in Barrie; the notice says she had studied metalcraft at the Provincial Institute of Trades and at Central Technical School, Toronto, had tuition in jewellery making at the Penland School of Handicrafts, North Carolina, and took a general arts and crafts course at Chautauqua, New York.
From Barrie Examiner, 9 January 1962, p. 2, https://news.ourontario.ca/2919457/data.
Other crafts: She worked across leather, metal and clay; her trays, boxes, belts and coasters were admired for their finish, which she credited to "spit and polish."
From Summer/Fall 1987, page 5.
In the press: Her death notice names her “H. M. Olivia Smith” and describes her as a member of the Canadian Society of Creative Leathercraft; she died at St. Joseph's Health Centre, Toronto, on Friday, 2 October 1987.
From her death notice in the Toronto Star, 4 October 1987, p. 79.

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