Viola Harris
← People of the Society · on record 1954–1989
The Society’s records
Everything the Society’s own records say of Viola Harris: the offices held, the standings conferred, and the awards won. Where the records are silent, so is this part of the page.
In memoriam · 6 July 1996
In Toronto, aged 93.
From Winter 1996–97, page 3.
Also recorded as Viola E. Harris
Standing
Life Member 1989
Certification
- Associate of the CSCL 1960
- Fellow of the CSCL 1970
Printed as an honorary Fellowship, not the usual points-based election: "Miss Viola Harris was presented with an honorary Fellowship in recognition of her many years of devoted service to the Society," the presentation made by Olivia Smith. The register had held her only from the undated c. 1985 list, which does not distinguish honorary from ordinary Fellows.
One piece of hers was chosen for “Ontario Crafts – Leather Today”, the Society’s Centennial travelling exhibition: a red leather box with a stone. 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 made a square for the CSCL Leather Quilt.
From Winter 1996–97, page 3; Fall 1998, page 2; and Fall 1967, page 9.
Served the Society as
- President 1963–1965
- Past President 1965–1968
- Recording Secretary 1954–1960
- 3rd Assembly Committee - Secretary 1956
- Secretary 1956–1959
- Corresponding Secretary 1957–1958
- Assistant Editor 1961
- Vice-President 1961–1962
- 10th Assembly Committee - Secretary 1964
- Ontario Crafts Conference Delegate 1965
- Liaison Officer for C.S.C.L. & Canadian Guild of Crafts 1968
- World Crafts Council Delegate 1976
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
- Canadian Handicrafts Guild Competition First Prize 1963
- Craftsman Award, 11th International Assembly 1965
- International Assembly Salon Ribbon 1962, 1963
Demonstrations given
- Demonstration opening the Toronto Branch season 1964
Branch meetings, autumn 1964From Autumn 1964.
- Making a wallet that needs very little stitching and no lacing 1965
Toronto Branch meetings, 1964-65 seasonFrom Spring 1965, page 4.
Where this comes from
- Autumn 1954
- Summer 1955
- Spring 1956
- Autumn 1956
- Winter 1956–57
- Spring 1957
- Autumn 1957
- Winter 1957–58
- Winter 1958–59
- Spring 1959
- Spring 1960
- Summer 1961
- Autumn 1961
- Spring 1962
- Summer 1962
- Summer 1963
- Autumn 1963
- Summer 1964
- Winter 1964–65
- Summer 1965
- Spring 1966
- Spring 1967
- Fall 1967
- Summer 1968
- Spring 1970
- Autumn 1976
- Summer 1981
- Winter 1996–97
- Fall 1998
- Society membership list, 1989
Life and work
From the In Memoriam notice in the Society's newsletter. Other lines come from the sources named under each.
- Work
- She was an accountant for the Canadian Guild of Crafts, beginning at the Guild Shop on Bloor Street West in 1965, and worked at North York General Hospital's craft shop until she was 84.
From Winter 1996–97, page 3.
- In late 1968 she was Executive Secretary of the Canadian Guild of Crafts (Ontario), 77 Bloor St. W., Toronto, and the contact for entries to ‘Craft Dimensions Canada’, the juried national craft show held at the Royal Ontario Museum, 23 September – 2 November 1969 (jurying 10 March 1969).
From Potters' newsletter, 'Where to exhibit' notice (digitised text, BC Historical Digitization Project), late 1968, https://bchdp-i2.arcabc.ca/_flysystem/repo-service/2025-06/137968-Extracted%20Text.txt.
- Community
- She was a past President of the Ontario Crafts Council, and an OCC volunteer.
From Winter 1996–97, page 3.