Erica Rutherford

{{short description|Canadian artist, filmmaker and writer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox artist | name = Erica Rutherford | image = Erica_Rutherford.jpeg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = Eric Rutherford | birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|02|01|df=y}} | birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland | death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|04|11|1923|02|01|df=y}} | death_place = Charlottetown, PEI, Canada | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | education = | alma_mater = | known_for = painting, printmaking, writing | notable_works = | style = | movement = | spouse = {{Nowrap|Chloe Clough (1942–1949) <br> Gloria Green (1949–1955) <br> Laura de Borgreve (1955–1966)}} | partner = Gail Turner (1959–2008) | awards = Father Adrien Arsenault Senior Arts Award (2001) | elected = | patrons = | memorials = | website = <!-- {{URL|Example.com}} --> | module = }} '''Erica Rutherford''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|RCA|size=100%}} (1 February 1923 in Edinburgh – 11 April 2008 in Charlottetown)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artuk.org/discover/artists/rutherford-erica-19232008/search/nationality:British/page/98/view_as/map/sort_by/agent.summary_title_sort/order/desc|title=Rutherford, Erica, 1923–2008 {{!}} Art UK|website=artuk.org|language=en|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> was a British-Canadian artist, filmmaker and writer. She received the Father Adrien Arsenault Senior Arts Award (2001) and was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1999).<ref name=":1 " >{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/lifestyles/artist-erica-rutherford-dies-108631/|title=Artist Erica Rutherford dies |last=Network|first=SaltWire|website=The Guardian|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> She was the first Prince Edward Island artist to be featured at the Venice Biennale.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibitions |url=https://www.gallery.ca/whats-on/exhibitions-and-galleries/erica-rutherford-her-lives-and-works |website=www.gallery.ca |publisher=National Gallery of Canada What's On|access-date=29 April 2025}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Erica Rutherford was born Eric Rutherford on 1 February 1923 in Edinburgh, Scotland, to David and Isabel Rutherford.<ref name=":3 " >{{Cite web|url=http://www.gallery18.com/art/picnic-erica-rutherford|title=Picnic - Erica Rutherford|website=Gallery 18|language=en-US|access-date=24 March 2020|archive-date=24 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324172951/http://www.gallery18.com/art/picnic-erica-rutherford|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1928, the family moved to Portsmouth, England. Rutherford studied at St. John's College in Southsea, and entered the Dartmouth Royal Naval College in 1937, spending a year as a cadet on HMS ''Conway'' in Liverpool.<ref name=":0 " >{{Cite web|url=http://www.archives.pe.ca/atom/index.php/erica-rutherford-fonds-2|title=Erica Rutherford fonds|date=2009|website=Archives PEI|access-date=24 March 2020|archive-date=24 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324172820/http://www.archives.pe.ca/atom/index.php/erica-rutherford-fonds-2|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1939, Rutherford studied dramatic art at the Royal Academy in London.<ref name=":1 " /> Rutherford became a professional actor, working for the next two years in London. During World War II, Rutherford toured England, performing at army camps.<ref name=":0 " />

In December 1942, Rutherford married Chloe Clough and the next year their daughter, Gail Erika, was born. The couple separated in 1944 and divorced in 1949.<ref name=":0 " />

In 1945, Rutherford took up studies, studying stage design, drawing and sculpture at London's Slade School of Fine Art<ref name=":1 " /> and historic costume design at the Central School of Arts and Craft. This was followed by studies in drawing and painting at l'Académie Julien in Paris.<ref name=":0 " /> During the same period, Rutherford worked as a stage and set designer, designing sets for more than thirty productions of various English theatres, including Theatre Royal in Windsor and Theatre Royal in York.<ref name=":0 " />

In April 1949, Rutherford married Gloria Green and they returned to London for a while. The next year, the couple moved to South Africa to work on the family farm. In the following years, they developed a banana plantation. Due to health issues, Gloria had to go to Switzerland in 1953, and not seeing each other again, the couple divorced in 1955.<ref name=":0 " /> Later that year, Rutherford got married for the third time, to Laura de Borgreve, and the couple moved to London. After a brief marriage, they separated in 1958, officially divorcing in 1966.<ref name=":0 " />

== Career == In 1959, Rutherford met Australian-born artist Gail Turner and the couple moved to Ibiza, Spain. Rutherford concentrated on painting and exhibited widely throughout Europe.<ref name=":2 " >{{Cite web|url=http://www.herartstory.com/erica-rutherford/|title=Erica Rutherford – Her Art Story|language=en-US|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> At this time, Rutherford's artwork started receiving significant recognition with a series of solo exhibits at London's Leicester Galleries.<ref name=":0 " /> Briefly returning to England in 1964, Rutherford taught painting at the West Surrey College of Art in Farnham, but soon the couple went back to Spain, where in 1966, their daughter Susana was born.<ref name=":2 " />

The family returned to London in 1967, but being unable to find a job in local art schools, Rutherford decided to move to the United States. Rutherford started teaching at the Louisville School of Art in Kentucky in 1968, and by 1969 was a visiting professor at West Virginia University. In 1971, Rutherford became associate professor in the Art Department at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.<ref name=":0 " />

In 1975, Rutherford legally separated from Gail and then adopted the name Erica.<ref name=":0 " /> She underwent gender affirming surgery during 1976 in St. Louis, Missouri.<ref name=":0 " />

After the surgery, Rutherford moved to Canada taking temporary teaching positions at the University of Guelph and Sheridan College in Ontario. In 1985, she settled in Prince Edward Island purchasing a property in Pinette. Eventually, her ex-wife Gail returned to live with her as a life partner and friend.<ref name=":2 " /> In 1987, they opened an art studio and an artist's retreat at their Pinette property.<ref name=":0 " />

Rutherford started illustrating children's books such as ''The Owl and the Pussycat'' (1986).<ref name=":3 " /> In following years, she also wrote and illustrated two humour books, ''Yoga for Cats'' (1987) and ''Dance for Cats'' (1988). In 1994, her children's book ''An Island Alphabet'' was published.<ref name=":0 " />

In 1993, Rutherford published her autobiography, ''Nine Lives: The Autobiography of Erica Rutherford'',<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rutherford, Erica.|title=Nine lives : the autobiography of Erica Rutherford|date=1993|publisher=Ragweed|isbn=0-921556-36-5|location=Charlottetown, P.E.I.|oclc=27852039}}</ref> in which she discusses what she described as gender dysphoria.<ref name=":0 " /> In the book, she also documented the details of her first visit to Prince Edward Island in 1970 that in 1985 became her permanent home.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/artist-erica-rutherford-dies-in-charlottetown-1.740438 |title=Artist Erica Rutherford dies in Charlottetown|date=11 April 2008|website=CBC|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref>

Rutherford had a great influence on the Prince Edward Island art community. She acted as a formal and informal mentor for many in the community. In 1991, she held the first print-maker's workshop attracting the best artists in the country. Eventually it led to the formation of the Printmaker's Council of the P.E.I association.<ref name=":1 " />

In 1999, Rutherford was admitted to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.<ref name=":3 " /> In 2001, she received Father Adrien Arsenault Senior Arts Award.<ref name=":1 " /> Her last show ''Enigmatic Whispers'', was held at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown in 2006.<ref name=":4 " >{{Cite web|url=https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Erica-Rutherford/7F4250541BCAAF2B|title=Erica Rutherford {{!}} Art Auction Results|website=www.mutualart.com|language=en|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref>

Erica Rutherford died on 11 April 2008 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, at the age of 85.<ref name=":0 " />

A scholarship in her name is awarded by the University of Prince Edward Island.<ref name=":3 " /> A current bursary in her name is offered by the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

== Exhibitions (selection) ==

* Leicester Galleries, London (1961–1964); * Galeria Ivan Spence, Ibiza, Spain (1961–1966); * Galerie San Jorge, Madrid, Spain (1962); * Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, England (1966, 1970, 1974); * Pollock Gallery (1975, 1981) * Pascal Gallery, Toronto, Canada (1981, 1983); * Gallery 1667, Halifax, Nova Scotia (1986);<ref name=":5 " >{{Cite book|last1=Heller|first1=Jules|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AYxmAgAAQBAJ|title=North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century: A Biographical Dictionary|last2=Heller|first2=Nancy G.|date=19 December 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-63882-5|pages=481|language=en}}</ref> * Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown (2006)<ref name=":4 " /> * The Animal Within Creatures in (and outside) the Mumok Collection 2022–2023 * Women in Revolt, Tate Britain, 2023–2024 * ''Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works'' retrospective Confederation Centre Art Gallery 2024–2025;<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibitions |url=https://confederationcentre.com/whats-on |website=confederationcentre.com |publisher=Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown |access-date=13 November 2024}}</ref>

== Collections ==

*Arts Council of Great Britain; *Burnaby Art Gallery, British Columbia; * Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artbank.ca:443/|title=Erica Rutherford|website=Canada Council Art Bank|language=en|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref> *Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; * The government of Prince Edward Island Art Collection; * Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri; *University of Wales, Cardiff;<ref name=":5 " /> * Confederation Centre Art Gallery; * Indianapolis Museum of Art; *Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Madrid, Spain.<ref name=":1 " /> *Owens Art Gallery, Mount Allison University<ref>{{Cite web |title=A-Z of Collection – Owens Art Gallery |url=https://owensartgallery.com/collection/a-z-of-collection/ |access-date=5 December 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Books ==

* ''The Owl and the Pussycat'' (1986)<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rutherford|first1=Erica|title=The owl and the pussycat and other works.|last2=Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum|date=1986|publisher=Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum|isbn=978-0-920089-44-6|language=en|oclc=16183043}}</ref> * ''Yoga for Cats'' (1987)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rutherford|first=Erica|title=Yoga for cats|date=1988|publisher=Ragweed Press|isbn=978-0-920304-77-8|location=Charlottetown, P.E.I.|language=en|oclc=17483933}}</ref> *''Dance for Cats'' (1988)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rutherford|first=Erica|title=Dance for cats (or pas de chats)|date=1988|publisher=Ragweed Press|isbn=978-0-920304-80-8|location=Charlottetown, P.E.I.|language=en|oclc=18644725}}</ref> *''Nine Lives: The Autobiography of Erica Rutherford'' (1993)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rutherford|first=Erica|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ag_aAAAAMAAJ|title=Nine lives: the autobiography of Erica Rutherford|date=1993|publisher=Ragweed|location=Charlottetown, P.E.I.|isbn=9780921556367|language=en|oclc=607739240}}</ref> *''An Island Alphabet'' (1994)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rutherford|first=Erica|title=An Island alphabet|date=1994|publisher=Ragweed|isbn=978-0-921556-44-2|location=Charlottetown, P.E.I.|language=en|oclc=29913648}}</ref>

== Filmography == ''Jim Comes to Jo'Burg'' (1949, producer)<ref name=":0 " /> ''Also known as African Jim.''

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rutherford, Erica}} Category:1923 births Category:2008 deaths Category:20th-century Canadian women artists Category:20th-century British women artists Category:20th-century Canadian women writers Category:20th-century British women writers Category:20th-century Canadian non-fiction writers Category:20th-century British non-fiction writers Category:20th-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:20th-century British LGBTQ people Category:Canadian film producers Category:Transgender women artists Category:Transgender women writers Category:Canadian children's writers Category:British transgender writers Category:British children's writers Category:Canadian transgender writers Category:British autobiographers Category:British women autobiographers Category:Canadian autobiographers Category:Artists from Edinburgh Category:Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art Category:Alumni of the Central School of Art and Design Category:Académie Julian alumni Category:Members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts Category:British transgender women Category:Canadian transgender women