Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven Canadian painters - videos

The Group of Seven, also sometimes known as the Algonquin School, was a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933. Believing that a distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature, the Group of Seven is best known for its paintings inspired by the Canadian landscape, and initiated the first major Canadian national art movement.

Two artists commonly associated with the group are Tom Thomson (1877–1917) and Emily Carr (1871–1945). Although he died before its official formation, Thomson had a significant influence on the group. In his essay "The Story of the Group of Seven", Harris wrote that Thomson was "a part of the movement before we pinned a label on it"; Thomson's paintings The West Wind and The Jack Pine are two of the group's most iconic pieces. Emily Carr was also closely associated with the Group of Seven, though never an official member.

The importance of these works on the Canadian psyche cannot be overstated. If you've camped in Canada, if you've spent time in any of the protected parks or wild forests there, or even if you've just swam in one of the lakes, the landscape will have indelibly left its mark on you.

These days, my guess is that Canadians are more familiar with the name of Emily Carr than Tom but, for me, Thomson's works are magical -- he was painting from a very pure place. I saw his work at the National Gallery in Ottawa around 1997 and can attest to their lasting impression on me, some 25 years later -- especially the Northern River: https://aci-iac.ca/art-books/tom-thomson/key-works/northern-river . He also has a very cool name that is easy to remember! (Bit like German psychologist Erik Erikson :)

Flying into Vancouver airport you meet with a lot of great Aboriginal inspired art: http://www.yvr.ca/-/media/yvr/documents/facts-sheets/fast-facts/2015_01_...

It's curious that Toronto and Montreal airports don't do something similar.