Tag Archives: nature

Guest Post: Cabin in the Woods – Tom Thomson

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by in From Friends, Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Please welcome a Guest post from my very own Little Guy!

Tom Thomson

 

This summer, I took Little Guy to an art gallery to (hopefully) see some paintings by Tom Thomson because Little Guy had written 2 school papers on the artist and his contributions to Canada’s identity through art. Not only did we see an exhibit of Tom Thomson, we also saw Lawren Harris (Group of Seven) and the Group of Seven Guitar Project. Unbeknownst to us, the gallery also owns Tom Thomson’s cabin. I think it was the highlight of Little Guy’s trip!

* * *

Thomas John Thomson, or Tom Thomson, was an important Canadian artist. Tom inspired many, including a number of those in the famous Group of Seven, who were his friends. Tom, because of his unique Canadian landscapes, is considered a significant person to Canada because he shaped the way people thought about Canada through his art.

The Life of Tom Thomson

Tom Thomson was born in Claremont, Ontario on August 5, 1877 from Scottish-Canadian stock. He Tom died a mysterious death at age. Tom died a mysterious death at age 39, in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario on July 8, 1917.

Tom’s parents were Margaret Matheson and John Thomson. Tom’s family moved to Leith two months after he was born, a place near Owen Sound. Tom was the sixth of ten children in his family and grew up on Rose Hill farm.

Tom liked to draw and fish, and he grew up with an appreciation for music and literature. Tom’s father was a naturalist. Tom went to school locally with his nine other siblings.

In 1899, Tom tried to enlist in the army to fight in the Boer War in Africa, but he was turned away, so he moved to Seattle to study at the Acme Business College, which his brother co-owned. After college, he worked as a graphic designer, then he moved to Toronto to work as an engraver in a big company, but he hated being indoors. Then. he got a job as a designer at the Grip Limited. He made friends there and they often spent Sundays sketching together in the country. They taught him more about mixing oil paints and drawing landscapes using lines. He also took courses at what is now the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto.

Tom Thomson 3Dr. James McCallum loved the outdoors and was a landscape art collector. He learned about Tom from Lawren Harris and James MacDonald. He offered to pay Thomson’s expenses for a year which allowed Thomson to quit his job and become a professional painter. Dr McCallum also introduced Tom to A.Y. Jackson.

In 1912, Tom went camping and canoeing at Algonquin Park went with some friends, a suggestion from his friend, Tom McLean. Tom fell in love with the wilderness in Canoe Lake. They paddled from Canoe Lake to Tea Lake and camped near a dam where the logs ran through.

By 1913, Tom’s friends, including Lawren Harris, James MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, and A.Y. Jackson (part of Group of 7), were discussing how to promote national art for Canada. Canada had become a new nation in 1867 and the artists wanted to celebrate the country’s natural features and grow pride in Canada.

Tom Thomson 2

Tom died on in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario on July 8, 1917. By this time, he was living there 3 seasons of the year; he spent winters in Toronto. Tom had gone out fishing and his empty canoe was discovered the next day. His body was found a few days later. He was buried in the Canoe Lake cemetery, but the cause of his death remains a mystery. Some believed he was murdered, while others believe he drowned. His family had his body exhumed and buried in Leith, but in 1956 some men dug up a body in Tom Thomson’s grave. Some believe his body was never sent to Leith. The skull was last examined by some forensic experts in 2010 and they believe that it does belong to Tom Thomson, but they can’t do any more tests unless the family agrees. The mystery of his death helped him remain popular as an artist. Even the group Tragically Hip have written a song about Tom’s fiancee, Winnifred Trainor.

Tom’s Art

Tom developed a practice for making major paintings, and used it. Once, on his third trip, Tom took a camera but he quickly ran out of film. Tom usually sketched the landscape, and would paint it later when he had more time and supplies. He used bold colours and often used the perspective of sitting in a canoe.

Part of Tom’s style of art, was mixing colours to create new colours, and certain brush strokes too. Tom’s style of art made his artwork very recognizable. Tom’s art was also often non-traditional and bold, painting very unique scenes from Canada. He developed his own unique style that quickly became well recognized. Some of his famous paintings are The West Wind (1917) (shown left) and Jack Pine (1916-1917) (shown right).

 

It was shortly after his death, that his friends joined together to become the famous Group of Seven. They focused on showing Canada’s rugged northern wilderness. Currently in 2017, there are eleven people inside of The Group of Seven. A public school ( in Ontario ) and an art museum, ( in Owen Sound, ) were named after Tom Thomson in memory of him.

Take everything as it comes; the wave passes, deal with the next one. – Tom Thomson

Tom succeeded in becoming a Canadian legend for his art style. His artwork has inspired many artists. In 1990, a group of artists created postage to honour Tom Thomson. Tom’s friends in the Group of Seven, were, and still are, the most famous Canadian artist group. Tom accomplished in helping to create the group of seven. Tom is an important Canadian artist, because of his creativity, and influence on how others now see Canada.

Painting photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Thomson

 

 

Wilderness Wednesday: Baby Frog

02 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by in Photography

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,


My parents were a little slow getting their pool ready for the summer…and consequently became the guardians of a large family of poly-wogs. They left them to grow up for as long as possible before carefully moving them to a nearby stream. But it would seem a few had grown up and left the nest before the “big move”. Now they are guardians to a new generation of tree frogs, who will serenade them (and get “lucky”) next Spring!

Little Frog 2

Dad brought this baby into the house to show Mom (who was not impressed), so we had to take a quick shot while keeping it from disappearing. It’s so tiny!

Delight in the Little Things – Kipling

Happy Wednesday!

Wilderness Wednesday: Hello, Old Friend

07 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,


It’s funny. For years, I dreamed of the day when I could trade my small town for the wide world, but after a short time, I started to miss rambling down familiar streets. I missed the stars overhead at night, and the smell of the river in the Spring. Of everything I’ve come to love this town, I look forward to time near the river. I don’t know if it’s because it wends its way predictably and constantly in a world that is anything but constant. Or if it’s because it conjures up memories of bike rides to it in the summer, or McDonald’s picnics on a Sunday afternoon, or even stolen kisses with a sweetheart, the rushing water covering the pounding of my heart.  Whatever it is, its draw is unmistakable, and whenever I see it, I feel like I’m visiting an old friend.

On the long May weekend, I packed the boys (and the guinea pig because who doesn’t like driving for 3 hours with a small barn in the back seat) and visited my folks. We went for a walk along the river to see if the water, which had been overflowing the banks earlier in the week, had receded. In most places it was, except along the western edge where the mouth of the river widened.

I wish I had appreciated the beauty and character of my small town more before I moved away, but I’m thankful that I can always come home to say “hello, old friend”.

So old friends you must forget what you had to forgive
And let love be stronger than the feelings
That rage and run beneath the bridge
Knowin’ morning follows evening
Makes each new day come as a gift
– Rich Mullins, Hello Old Friend

Wilderness Wednesday: Walk in the Park

24 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by in Photography

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , ,


Nature says thou shalt keep the air, skate, swim, walk, ride, run. When you have worn out your shoes, the strength of the sole leather has passed into the fibre of your body. I measure your health by the number of shoes and hats and clothes you have worn out. He is the richest man who pays the largest debt to his shoemaker.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1851

DSC_1364 (800x533)

Happy Wednesday!