Kay Kinsman

Katherine Nixon Bell (June 27, 1909 – 1998), known as Kay Kinsman, was an artist, writer and student of history and languages. She is noted for her works created with watercolour or in pen and ink depicting street views and everyday life. As an artist and writer, Kinsman published three sketchbooks and her works were also exhibited in England and Quebec.

Kinsman was born in Los Angeles, and her father died before her birth. After her mother's death at age 9, Kinsman lived with her grandmother in Cuba, schooling in Jamaica. Throughout her life, Kinsman spent time abroad studying in Paris, living in Switzerland and England, and spent her final years living and studying in Quebec, Canada.

At the age of 89, Kinsman died at her final home of Sherbrooke, Quebec. Kinsman spent the last two decades of her life focusing on her academic life studying art, history, languages, drama and classics at Bishop's University, Sherbrooke. Kinsman accepted numerous degrees including a master's degree from McGill University and multiple bachelor's degrees from Bishop's University where she spent a significant portion of her later-life. After her death, various drawings and materials used by Kinsman were donated to the Archives Department of the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, Sherbrooke

Early life Kinsman was born in Los Angeles on June 27, 1909. Prior to her birth, Kinsman's father died of typhus. After his death, Kinsman and her mother spent time living in Mexico, where her grandfather worked on a railway. After Kinsman's mother remarried, the family moved to Cuba while Kinsman spent her elementary years in school in Jamaica.

Montreal, Quebec After Kinsman's first move to Montreal with her husband and children, Kinsman continued her studies of fine arts at the Montreal Museum School of Fine Arts from 1945 to 1949 while painting and raising her children. There, Kinsman studied under Anne Savage and Dr. Arthur Lismer. Kinsman's works created in Montreal illustrate her "interest in the city." Her works created in Broadway, specifically one of her old stone house, show what Franck Les Tyrs called Kinsman's "magical ability to capture light and mood." Kinsman's final class was taken in 1996 at the age of 86. After her death, drawings and materials used by Kinsman were donated to the Archives Department of the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, including copies of each published sketchbook.

Exhibitions Her solo exhibitions include: Place Ville-Marie, Montreal, Quebec Mountain Playhouse, Montreal, Quebec Broadway, Gloucestershire, England Pershore Festival, Worcestershire, England Malvern Festival, Worcestershire, England Lennoxville Festival, Lennoxville, Quebec Lennoxville Gallery, Lennoxville, Quebec Musée Beaulne, Coaticook, Quebec The Sherbrooke Trust, Sherbrooke, Quebec La Société d-histoire des Cantons de l’Est, Howardene, Sherbrooke, Quebec Musée des Beaux Arts, Sherbrooke, Quebec Bishop's University Art Gallery, Sherbrooke, Quebec

Her group exhibitions include: Mall Galleries, London, England Royal Water Colour Society, London, England "Women in Art", London, England "Britain in Water Colour", London, England Royal Society of Graphic Artists, London, England Spring Salon, Art Association, Montreal, Quebec Royal Canadian Academy, Ottawa, Ontario Musée des beaux-arts, Sherbrooke, Quebec Galerie Canard de bois, Sherbrooke, Quebec