The Untold Story of Mary Ella Dignam and the Women’s Art Association of Canada
Produced + Directed by Ingrid Hamilton
Produced by Kate Yorga
Written by Hope Thompson
Narrated by Jean Stilwell
A rebel artist in 1887, Mary Ella Dignam founded the Women’s Art Association of Canada (WAAC) because the art world refused to make room for women. This documentary follows her from rural Ontario to New York to Europe and back to Toronto where she built an art community on her own terms. The film highlights WAAC’s landmark projects, including the hand-painted Canadian Historical Dinner Service, along with its early ties to artists like Emily Carr and the Group of Seven. It also traces the evolution of the Association’s long-trusted scholarship program, a mainstay that helped launch talents such as Karen Kain and Measha Brueggergosman, and remains a vital source of support in music and the arts. WAAC continues to operate out of its beloved Victorian house purchased in 1916, standing as a rare artistic Canadian institution that has stayed true to its roots while continuing to grow.
