Person Record

Metadata

Name

Campbell, Florence May

Othernames

Flo Campbell, nee Florence May Johnson

Born

1893

Places of residence

-Toronto, Ontario
-287 7th Avenue East, Owen Sound

Titles & honors

Memorial exhibition of her works at what later became the Tom Thomson Art Gallery shortly after her passing.

Father

Joseph Johnson

Mother

Charlotte Johnson (nee _____)

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

Florence May Campbell was an artist who worked in oils, and did quite a few landscape pieces in Owen Sound, depicting nearby Grey County areas such as Presque Isle, Balmy Beach, etc.

Her parents were originally from Nottinghamshire, England, and emigrated in 1___. The family settled for a while in Toronto. Florence was one of eleven daughters. Two of her siblings, Annie and Agnes, were also artistic, and the three sisters were dubbed "the painting Johnsons".

Flo married Alan Campbell on May 26, 1914. He too was an artist, and he would often do the frames for their artwork, and they displayed some of their works in their residence at 287 7th Ave. East, Owen Sound.

Flo served as President of the Lyceum Club and Women's Art Association at Owen Sound. This group had lectures re art-related subjects. One of her friends was Kate Andrew, another Owen Sound artist and Lyceum Club member. The Lyceum Club often exhibited artwork in the Owen Sound Public Library, as there was no art gallery at Owen Sound until circa 19__.

One of her pre-1949 paintings, showing a wooded pathway in autumn near a body of water, was acquired by S.S.#2 Derby School (Dunn's School) and used as a memorial for their long-time teacher, Lottie Henderson (Charlotte Henderson), who had passed away in June, 1947. The painting is seen on p. 77 of HISTORY OF DERBY TOWNSHIP in an image from Nov. 27, 1949.

After she passed away, there was a memorial exhibition of Flo Campbell's art (59 paintings) displayed together at Owen Sound. It is not known yet how many paintings in total that she produced in her career.

Some paintings of hers:
-Untitled, showing Birch Trees by Shore (oil on board), Presque Isle
-Wooded River Landscape in Winter (oil on canvas)
-Roses in a Vase (oil on board, undated, at Grey Roots Museum)

Occupation

Artist / Homemaker
President of the Lyceum Club and Women's Art Association (Owen Sound)

Publications

Cake, Sharon, EMINENT WOMEN OF GREY COUNTY, 1977, p. 13-14.
Croft, Melba Morris, RENEWAL OF A CANADIAN PORT, P. 281 (lists Flo & Allan and other artists)
HISTORY OF DERBY TOWNSHIP 1839 TO 1972, p. 77 (shows a Flo Campbell painting in 1949)

Relationships

She was one of eleven sisters.
Sister: Agnes Johnson (m. _____Sinclair), b. May 27, 1881-d. May 31, 1952
Sister: Annie Johnson (m. ____ Rogers) b. 1882-d. 1952
Friend: Kate Andrew of Owen Sound (an artist)
Friend: Horace Vick of Owen Sound (an artist)