Brushstrokes for Change
The Story of Mary Ella Dignam and the Artists Who Followed
by Maggie Broda

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Brushstrokes for Change is a brief biography of Canadian artist and women’s rights activist, Mary Ella Dignam and includes many the artists who have enjoyed the benefits of her accomplishments, in the twenty first century. Born in 1857 in a small community she was a gifted visual artist, political activist and educator at a time in history where women were relegated to domestic roles. In spite of her enormous influence in Canadian Art and politics she remains unknown to most Canadians. Her legacy today, the Women’s Art Association of Canada and the Dignam Gallery in Toronto, has hosted hundreds of artists and their work in the Dignam Gallery. Included in this book are over thirty diverse artists who have proudly exhibited in the Dignam as it moves ahead in the twenty first century.

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Maggie Broda is a Toronto-born artist, educator, and community leader whose life has been a vibrant canvas of creativity, service, and family. Rooted in her Welsh heritage, Maggie’s earliest memories are of joyful hours spent drawing and painting—passions that led her to graduate with honours from the Ontario College of Art in the early 1970s. She merged her artistic training with a love for teaching, embarking on a dynamic career in education while raising five children alongside her high school love. Maggie’s influence in the art community is both deep and enduring. She served as President of the Women’s Art Association of Canada (2019–2023), is a current board director at the John B. Aird Gallery, and chairs the Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCADU) Alumni Association. A passionate advocate for the arts in education, she led watercolour workshops in Algonquin Park for 15 years and contributed as a guest artist for WorldWide Quest Travel. Her writing appears in The Fleck Contemporary Art Magazine, where she shares insights on art and culture. Maggie’s dedication to environmental education earned her a TD Friends of the Environment Grant and a nomination from Green Teacher Magazine. In 2023, she was honoured with the Ontario Volunteer Award, recognizing decades of service that include roles with the Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto Pride Festival, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Now retired from the Toronto District School Board after 25 years, Maggie continues to create, write, and mentor. She and her husband of 54 years remain closely connected to their five adult children and many grandchildren. Her life is a testament to the enduring power of family, community and art.

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Contributors

Author

Maggie Broda