Tom Thomson
Today is Canada Day, the national day of Canada, which celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation (July 1, 1867), when the three separate British Empire colonies of the United Canadas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into a single dominion called Canada. To celebrate this, let's take a look at one of my favorite Canadian artists, Tom Thomson!
Tom Thomson was a crucial figure in early 20th-century Canadian art. In a brief but very productive career, he created around 400 small oil sketches on wood panels and approximately 50 larger canvases. Focused almost entirely on landscapes, his work captured the natural beauty of Ontario’s wilderness—its trees, lakes, rivers, and skies—through bold brushwork and thick, expressive layers of paint. His iconic images have become enduring symbols of Canadian identity and landscape painting. His mysterious death on Canoe Lake in 1917—whether accidental, suicidal, or the result of foul play—has fueled the ongoing speculation and mythologizing and is widely regarded as a great loss for Canadian art.
In 1912, Thomson made his first trip to Algonquin Park in central Ontario, where today's painting was created. There, he began to sketch outdoors using newly acquired painting equipment. Captivated by the wilderness, he would return year after year, dividing his time between summers in the park and winters in Toronto.
P.S. Tom Thomson created several paintings of the sky and one of them is featured in our new Landscapes 50 Postcards Set. :)
P.P.S. Clouds are some of the most spectacular sights in nature. Check out the amazing variety of clouds in art!