Response By
Carolyn McLeod
Kate Taylor Cumming Miss Helena Coleman of Toronto, about 1934
watercolour on ivory Gift of the Kate Taylor Cumming Memorial Collection, 2001Response
What intrigues me most is the subject of this painting. Born in 1881 in Canada, Coleman was very accomplished. A gifted poet who published in prominent North American journals and magazines, she was also well educated and a great supporter of women in the arts. So why is she not widely celebrated in Canada? The size of this image (7 x 5.4cm) symbolizes to me how little we have valued the contributions of women like Coleman to Canadian society.
Dr. Carolyn McLeod is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Western University. Her research focuses on feminist ethics and issues around procreation, parenting, and professional relationships; as well as on the metaphysics of gender, race, and concepts in moral theory such as autonomy, trust, and virtue.