W.P. Weston was an important early figure in sowing the seeds for Vancouver’s art scene. Having arrived in Vancouver in 1909 by way of London, England, he was fascinated with the power of the local landscape. He developed a personal style in which he dramatized the spirit and strength of natural forces. Weston believed that drawing was the basis for all art training, and his style is characterized by rhythmic, pulsating lines.

While never officially a staff member of the Vancouver School of Art, Weston was a leading figure in art education in Vancouver before the establishment of the VSDAA, and had professional and social ties with members of the school. He gave a lecture titled The Place of Art in Education as early as 1917 at the Vancouver Institute, and held the position of Art Master at King Edward High School from 1914 until 1946. In 1925 he, along with Charles H. Scott and Spencer Percival Judge, published the Manual of Drawing and Design for Elementary and High Schools.

In this image we can see Margaret Williams sitting with Weston and Julie McCleod, with Slocan Lake – New Denver hanging on the wall in the background.