Arthur Lismer 1885 - 1969

Lismer first visited Georgian Bay in 1913 at the invitation of Dr. James MacCallum. This was his first initiation to the area that he referred to as "the happy isles, all different but bound together in a common unity, form, colour and design – it is a paradise for painters". He became a regular visitor to the region and spent summer holidays with his family there from the 1920s through the 1950s. It was a source of artistic inspiration to him with its dramatic and varied landscape – the windswept pine trees, turbulent skies, sculptural rock formations, twisted trunks and intertwining foliage.

Landscapes, such as this one, capture the ruggedness that the harsh elements had upon its topography. Lismer imbues energy and drama to this canvas with his use of complex textural variations through his bold application of thick impasto, strong outlining of form, and random scratches into the paint layers.  A lush colour palette unifies the composition with hues of vibrant greens, yellows, orange and reds contrasting with warm greys and browns.  It is his consummate skill as a painter that brings life to the region of his beloved Georgian Bay.

The power of this painting is defined ultimately by Lismer's wind-battered evergreens that become symbols of the enduring quality of the Canadian spirit.