Marion E. Jack

Born in 1866 into a wealthy family in Saint John, New Brunswick, Marion Jack is primarily known for being an early adopter and pioneer of the Bahá'í Faith. While studying art in Paris, she was introduced to the religion, and henceforth dedicated her life to evangelical work - painting and spreading the faith around the world from Palestine to Alaska. In 1930 she was posted to Bulgaria as a missionary, and despite the economic depression and the outbreak of war, established Bahá'í communities in Sofia and Varna. Though given the opportunity to leave for Switzerland, she opted to remain in Bulgaria, despite living in difficult conditions under communist rule until her death in 1954. Known affectionately in the Bahá'í community as “General Jack,” she has since become a symbol of the faith as one of the pioneers who spent their life in the service of others. A biography on her life titled Never Be Afraid to Dare was published in 2001. Her work was exhibited several times in Canada, including twice with the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, as well as the BC Society of Fine Arts. She was also a member of the Vancouver Sketch Club for a time, after her return from Alaska in 1920. This painting was shown in 1913 at the 30th Spring Exhibition of the Art Association of Montreal (now the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts). The Hillside Farm (Near Kenmare County, Kerry), a subtly rendered depiction of a farm in southern Ireland, demonstrates a mature Post-Impressionist sensibility, rendered in evocative hues of crimson and mauve.