Aleen Aked

Aleen Aked (1907 - 2003) was born in Kildwick of Yorkshire, England to an affluent family involved in England’s wool industry. In 1910, Aked and her family immigrated to Canada, moving first to St. Thomas and later relocating to Toronto in 1918. Aked soon displayed artistic promise, winning the Arthur Lismer Junior Course scholarship to the Ontario College of Art at age 14. She would go on to win 4 further scholarships, studying under Lismer at OCA (now OCAD) part-time throughout her high school education. When Aked expressed her desire to pursue a more traditional post-secondary schooling, Lismer advised her that ‘art is an education.’ Taking his advice, Aked continued studying at OCA under scholarship, specializing in still life, costume, and painting. During her years there, she studied under Frederick Varley, J.E.H. MacDonald, A.Y. Jackson, and J.W. Beatty; her peers at OCA included other noted female Canadian artists Isabel McLaughlin and Doris McCarthy. As a student, Aked was known to be lively and devoted; in her own words, she did not ‘back away from criticism.’

Upon her graduation in 1928, Aked was offered major commercial positions at Rous & Mann and Fred Brigden, both of which she declined due to her father’s detiorating health. Beginning around 1929, Aked would spend the winters in Sarasota, Florida, where her father lived; many of the landscapes she produced in the years following depict Floridian scenes and residents. Her time spent in Sarasota led to Aked’s lifelong involvement in the Southern States Art League (SSAL) and the Sarasota Art Association (SSA), with whom she exhibited frequently during the 1930s and 1940s; Aked went on to become the President of the SSAL in 1942. In the 1940s, Aked continued her artistic study at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota under Abbott Graves, focusing on landscapes and florals. During this time, she continued to exhibit in Canada with the Royal Canadian Academy (RCA), the Ontario Society of Artists (OSA), and the Canadian National Exhibit (CNE).

Above: Ritchies Canadian Art Sale No. 697.2 Auction Tuesday,
September 23, 2003 Ritchies Auction House.

Though she was a dedicated artist, Aked had a wide range of hobbies: she was a well trained competitive golfer and won many Toronto-based women’s golfing competitions, as well as the Bermuda Mixed Championship in 1937. Aked was also an active member of the Sarasota theatre community and spent several years working for the Little Theatre. Upon her return to Ontario following the First World War, Aked became the first woman president of the Durham County Club, giving speeches on art and antiques. Later in her life, Aked developed a passion for antique cars and became a member of the Antique Auto Club of America, owning three cars herself. In 1988, she completed the London to Brighton Antique Car Run in a 1904 Sunbeam. The same year, a selection of Aked’s paintings were hung in Bowmanville Town Hall in Ontario, which was opened by Princess Margaret. All the while, Aked continued to paint and exhibit, having established herself as a recognized artist both in Canada and America.

(Above) Murray, Joan. The Art of Aleen Aked. The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. 1989. 

Above: Sudden Squall. 1936. Oil on canvas. llustrated on pg. 10 of the catalogue.

Aked’s paintings are thought to have reflected her personality: bright, busy, and happy. She is remembered as having been an engaged and productive artist; at a women’s talk in the 1940s, Aked advised that ‘the person who has nothing to do is most miserable,’ and that ‘we all have creative powers which if developed, bring not only personal satisfaction but afford pleasure for others.’ Aked died in Toronto in 2003. 

Written by Maddy Chinneck

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Sources:

“Aleen Aked.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation.

“Aleen Aked.” D & E Lake LTD., Toronto, Canada, 2005.

Murray, Joan.The Art of Aleen Aked. The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. 1989.

Ritchies Canadian Art Sale No. 697.2 Auction Tuesday, September 23, 2003. Ritchies Auction House. 2003.