Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Wednesday, 5 September 2018

On Exhibition Art Walk - Wild Companions


This painting, “Wild Companions” was on loan to my Mum, but since we moved there is nowhere in her room to hang it. I was pleased to have it back in my studio because I’ve wanted to tweak the trees and the clouds for some time. It also seemed a little dark because when I painted it back in 2012, I hadn’t the courage to go back in and add some light when the acrylics dried and darkened.

It was a challenge finding the right spot in the exhibition, but I like it here with “Silent Witness” and “Lakeside tree III”. I chose to link the three canvases, but it is evn better when they are hung separately up to a few feet apart giving the true feeling of grandure to our big lake.

Sea Dean Annual Solo
18 August - 15 September 2018

Lake Country Coffee House
10356 Bottom Wood Lake Road (Next to Lake Country Art Gallery)
Lake Country BC Canada

7am - 4pm Daily (8am Sundays)
Sea will be on site during Art Walk 8 and 9 September


I’ve been going at break neck speed to get ready for this exhibition. Almost every piece is new, and this year I have many large works including Oil, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Digital and 3D pieces. I will be available all weekend during Art Walk, so that you can ask about the inspiration for your favorite pieces. And if the weather co-operates I may even be giving some demos. Drop in and meet the artist.


Sunday, 30 July 2017

UNICAN


UNICAN
10" x 10" Mixed Media Collage
Deep Gallery Wrap Canvas
$150

Available at Gallery 97.
Peachland, B.C.
Canada
www.gallery97.ca

As promised, here is my submission for the "Proud to be Canadian" Exhibition at Gallery 97. Exhibition closes In October.

Friday, 7 July 2017

Everything Maple


True North
6" x 8"
Acrylic on Canvas Panel



If you're in Canada, you've heard nothing else for months (unless you've been off grid), for my other readers, on July 1st 2017 Canada celebrated it's 150th birthday. As a result, I'm currently working on a submission for "Proud to be Canadian", a Canada 150 exhibition. It starts August 1st, which seems a little late, but I'm running behind on most things lately, so this exhibition is in sync with my life.

The two completed paintings shown here are from my current catalogue and are available to purchase, but are sadly not the right size to submit to this exhibition. I've had many ideas, but none have gelled, so at this late date I find myself clutching at straws and researching all things Canadian. Here are some interesting things I've uncovered during my research. Happy reading/viewing/eating!

Morning Coffee Video - All you never wanted to know about Maple Syrup
Recipe - Yummy Faux Maple Syrup
Maple Trees - Some of these are quite surprising 13 Species of Maple Tree
Toronto Maple Leafs - Ice Hockey Team of course - International Baseball Team???
The Maple Leaf Forever - Canadian Flag


Maple Cascade
3.75" x 5.25"
Watercolour on Cold Pressed W/C paper



I will share the painting I'm submitting soon.

Tuesday, 13 June 2017

Beaver carves a self portrait


Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it strike you that this industrious Beaver was carving a self-portrait? And the stump on the right might be a portrait of his wife.


See the whole story here

Sunday, 1 January 2017

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - ALBERT H ROBINSON

ALBERT H. ROBINSON, R.C.A. (1881-1956)
St. Tite, 1928
Oil on panel 11. 1/8" x 12. 7/8"





Albert Henry Robinson was born in 2 January, 1881 in Hamilton, Ontario.

Initially he worked as a self-taught illustrator for The Hamilton Times. Then he studied at the Hamilton Art School, under the important impressionist painter John Sloan Gordon. Gordon had trained at the Académie Julian in Paris, and was considered a pioneer in Canadian art education. Robinson followed his lead and trained under William Bouguereau at the Académie Julian. This was followed by further training at the École des beaux-arts.

For a while, Robinson traveled in Europe with British artist Thomas William Marshall and met Canadian painter W. Blair Bruce. However, in 1905 a bout of typhoid, forced him to return to Canada, where he taught at the Hamilton Art School with John Gordon.

At this time he was painting Ontario landscapes, but after his move to Montreal in 1908 his fascination with life in Quebec took hold. Robinson had a particular love of snow and white is predominant in his palette. His works lean towards impressionism and are idyllic and pastoral, reflecting his deep love of Quebec and its people. He was an exceedingly fine colourist and his methods include a characteristic square brush-stroke, almost pointillist, with which he conveyed a sense of dappled light.

In Quebec he met William Brymner and Maurice Cullen and showed at the Royal Canadian Academy. Robinson met A.Y. Jackson in 1910, and they became lifelong sketching companions. He also sketched and exhibited with Quebec painters, Clarence Gagnon, Randolph Hewton and Edwin Holgate. He was elected an RCA associate member in 1911 and a full member in 1920.

Robinson was invited to guest exhibit with Robert Pilot and Randolph Hewton, at the 1920 Group of Seven exhibition. While a contemporary of the Group, he preferred a quiet life and has often been called “a painter’s painter” working for the pure joy of it. He won numerous awards and participated in many exhibitions in Canada, Europe and the United States. In 1930, he suffered a heart attack, after which severe arthritis in his hands forced him to stop painting. In 1933 he became a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters.

 He died in Montreal in 1956.

Saturday, 17 September 2016

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - ROBERT HARRIS - Rolling Hills


ROBERT HARRIS

Today we are celebrating Robert Harris' birthday. Robert was born 18 September 1849 in Ty'n y Groes, Conwy, Wales, UK. He migrated to Prince Edward Island via Liverpool with his family as a teen. He later studied art in Boston, London's Slade School of Art, in Paris under Léon Bonnat, and in Rome. He traveled extensively, finally settling in Montreal.

Robert Harris mainly worked in, Canada and was noted for his portrait paintings, especially THE FATHERS OF CONFEDERATION. No doubt due to his excellent art education, the commission in 1883 to paint the Fathers of Confederation came early in his career and it established his reputation as a portrait painter. He was a founding member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) and was elected president of the RCA in 1893.

Luckily Robert also painted landscapes and as I love landscapes that is what I've chosen to share today. I love the subtle pastels and misty mountains. He has included just enough shadow to make the trees stand out. The warm naples yellow of the foreground and the lovely soft cerulean and violet blues of the background are perfect complements.

This morning I painted a little watercolour inspired by this painting. I've titled it rolling hills. It can be seen on my Daily Paintworks link to the left.



ROLLING HILLS
by Sea Dean 
4" x 6" Strathmore 140lb 
WC Paper with Postcard back

Thursday, 4 August 2016

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - TOM THOMPSON

RED TREES
by Sea Dean
after Tom Thomson
8" x 10" wrap canvas



Tom (Thomas John) Thomson (August 5, 1877 – July 8, 1917) Although he died before its official formation, Thomson had a direct and significant influence on the Group of Seven. In his essay "The Story of the Group of Seven", Lawren 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, but was not an official member because they didn't allow female members.

Believing that distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature, The Group of Seven is most famous for plein air paintings inspired by the Canadian landscape. It was the first major national art movement in Canada. The Group was succeeded by the Canadian Group of Painters in the 1930s, which allowed female members.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Thomson

Tom Thomson died under mysterious circumstances, adding to his mystique. This has been covered extensively here. There are many interesting details on the rest of the site as well including some fabulous vintage photographs.

The Group of Seven — sometimes known as the Algonquin school — was a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933, originally consisting of
Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945),
Lawren Harris (1885–1970),
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972),
Frank Johnston (1888–1949),
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969),
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and
Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later,
A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926;
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932.

Tuesday, 3 May 2016

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - FRANKLIN CARMICHAEL



FRANKLIN CARMICHAEL

The youngest of the Group of Seven, Franklin Carmichael was born May 4, 1890 in Orillia, Ontario. Carmichael entered the Ontario College of Art when he was 22 years of age and studied with William Cruickshank and George Reid. He later joined Tom Thomson and other serious painters on weekend sketching trips. Carmichael shared a studio with Tom Thomson in 1914 and was heavily influenced by his work. 

Along with A. J. Casson and F. H. Brigden, Carmichael founded the Ontario Society of Painters in Watercolour in 1925 and the Canadian Group of Painters in 1933. He  is primarily known for watercolour Ontario landscapes. He taught at the Ontario College of Art from 1932 to his death on October 24, 1945.

Thursday, 31 March 2016

ARROWLEAF LAKE


ARROWLEAF LAKE
8" x 10" Cradle Board
Ready to Hang



April Fool!

No not really. If you think you've seen this before, it is a similar painting to ARROWLEAF DAISIES from a few days ago. Sometimes it's a challenge to come up with new and pleasing compositions, so if I like a composition I create a mirror image. Sometimes these work hung together, but in this case they will be showing at two different venues.

Arrowleaf, or Balsamorriza Sagittata, are a type of wild sunflower in the Aster family. They cover our grassy hills in the spring and summer. They have large fleshy leaves shaped like an arrowhead, hence the common name. All of the plant can be eaten and is an important source of tribal medicine. Read more about them here.

For years I called these "Brown Eyed Susans", but I think I'm wrong.

Sunday, 20 March 2016

BORDERS - ART IN CANADA - THE AUTOMATISTS


BORDERS by Sea Dean - 10" x 8" Gallery Wrap Canvas

The painting above was created by photographing the accidental marks on my painting desk, cropping an interesting section and copying the strokes onto a larger canvas. This method forces me to step back and allow chance to shine It gives me an opportunity to remove myself from structure and simply allow the color and brushwork to speak.

An observer may comment that there is no creativity in the work, but I would argue that it is the cropping of the original image that demands an artist's eye. This method makes the painting a great candidate for pairing with work of the Automatists below.



THE AUTOMATISTS OF MONTREAL

I discovered this old movie somewhere while I was looking for something else. It's quite an interesting look at art in Montreal, Canada about 60 years ago. This was at a time when abstract art was relatively rare and not well embraced by the general population. Montreal has always been one of the forerunners of avant garde thought in music and art, so I decided to give it a look.

Although quirky, I really enjoyed this old NFB documentary. Even today, Montreal is one of the few places in Canada that a man is likely to wear a suit for the sake of grooming and fashion, not because of convention

https://www.nfb.ca/film/artist_in_montreal


Saturday, 12 December 2015

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - EMILY CARR


The Group of Seven, AKA The Algonquin School, was a group of Canadian landscape painters. Believing a distinct look could be developed by direct contact with nature, The Group focused on painting the Canadian landscape. The Group of Seven was the first major Canadian art movement, later succeeded by the Canadian Group of Painters in the 1930s, which allowed female members.They worked from 1920 to 1933 and originally consisted of

Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945
Lawren Harris (1885–1970)
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972)
Frank Johnston (1888–1949)
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969)
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932)
Frederick Varley (1881–1969)
 
A. J. Casson (1898–1992)  joined in 1926
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) in 1930
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) in 1932.

Two more artists commonly associated with the group are:-

Tom Thomson (1877–1917)
Although he died before the official formation, Thomson had a significant influence on the group. In the essay "The Story of the Group of Seven", Lawren Harris wrote that Thomson was "a part of the movement before we pinned a label on it". "The West Wind" and "The Jack Pine" both by Tom Thomson, are two of the group's most iconic pieces.

Emily Carr, (13 December 1871 - 2 March 1945) whose birthday it is today, was also closely associated with the Group of Seven, although she was never an official member because she was a female. She was an artist and writer inspired by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

Carr was one of the first painters in Canada to adopt a modernist and post-impressionist painting style. She didn't receive widespread recognition for her work until later in life. As she matured, the subject matter of her painting shifted from aboriginal themes to landscapes and in particular, forest scenes.

As a writer, Carr was one of the earliest chroniclers of life in British Columbia. The Canadian Encyclopedia describes her as a "Canadian icon". In Western Canada if you wish to build a career in Art, you aspire to being accepted to the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Tuesday, 18 August 2015

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - EDWIN HOLGATE - THE GROUP OF SEVEN


EDWIN HOLGATE
(August 19, 1892 – May 21, 1977)
 A Canadian artist, painter and engraver. Member of the Group of Seven.

Edwin Holgate was born in Canada, but when he was 3 years old his family moved to Jamaica; they returned to Montreal six years later. At the age of 5 he was sent to boarding school in Toronto until his family returned. Those early years in Jamaica probably had an impact on his sense of colour and boarding school  must have influenced the aura of solitude which is evident in his work.

Holgate played a major role in Montreal's art community including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where he studied and taught. He also studied at the Art Association of Montreal under William Brymner (A. Y. Jackson's mentor) and later Maurice Cullen.

In 1912 Holgate studied in Paris and was traveling in the Ukraine at the outset of World War I. He was forced to cross Asia to return to Canada. His first exhibition was held at the Arts Club of Montreal in 1922. Holgate was considered the "eighth" member of the Group of Seven, being invited to join the group in 1930. He was known primarily as a portrait painter and for his nudes in outdoor settings painted during the 1930s. A versatile artist, he taught wood engraving at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montréal from 1928 to 1934. In 1935 he was elected associate of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

Holgate worked as a war artist during World War II and when he returned, he found that the arts scene had changed, with the arrival of the Automatistes. He retreated to the Laurentians where he worked until his death in 1977.

The National Gallery of Canada held a retrospective of his work in 1975 and The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts organized another retrospective in 2005.

THE GROUP OF SEVEN
— sometimes known as the Algonquin school
— a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933, originally consisting of

Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945),
Lawren Harris (1885–1970),
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972),
Frank Johnston (1888–1949),
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969),
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and
Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later,
A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926;
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932.


FRAGRANT GARDENIA

There are strong value contrasts in Holgate's work which is not a style I use much, but I think this painting of Gardenias is along those lines. It can be purchased here at Daily Paintworks.

Sunday, 7 June 2015

RANDY - HIKING IN THE OKANAGAN - PLEIN AIR AIDS FOR SALE

RANDY THE RACCOON ACEO by Sea Dean
RANDY THE RACOON ACEO
by Sea Dean
2.5" x 3.5" on Canvas Card

View my online Gallery of originals here DAILY PAINTWORKS
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO here
Art Cards $5 and Art Postcards $3 here

I found this video clip and thought you'd enjoy seeing some views near where I live.

YOUTUBE VIDEO

https://youtu.be/zXOuZL1G43c

I'm going to head out and discover a few of these.





I currently have two brand new Alpenstock hiking sticks for sale. These are an amazing aid for the beginner to advanced hiker. Good for adventurous plein air types too. Here http://classifieds.castanet.net/details/brand_new_20_-_110_alpenstock_type_hiking_pole/2308683/ is the link for more information.

For the even more adventurous I also have an inflatable canoe/kayak still in plastic and never used here http://classifieds.castanet.net/details/brand_new_inflatable_canoe_with_paddle/2320251/

Monday, 5 January 2015

FABULOUS ETSY -

Etsy is a website I love to browse. It's a place where creatives can sell their unique items to a worldwide audience. I've watched them grow and I'm pleased they are making it work for us all. Although I haven't yet set up a shop on Etsy, I have been looking into it and I do know people who are making a good living selling what they produce through one of the many Etsy sites. I particularly enjoy Etsy France and Etsy Australia where I can see what creatives are thinking about overseas.

I have often recommended or talked about Etsy on GET YOUR ART OUT THERE, my FB Group, and this blog, but I just found this link which entitles you to free listings if you use it to sign up. With holiday gift giving high on people's list in the next few months, this may be a good time to start.

Create your Etsy shop here

Friday, 3 October 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - A Y JACKSON - RED TREES - - DAILY PAINTWORKS PICK OF THE DAY

Red Trees by Sea Dean

RED TREES by Sea Dean
6" x 2" on Strathmore Windpower
 
View my online Gallery of originals please visit DAILY PAINTWORKS
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO here
Bid on my exclusive limited time SILENT AUCTION here
 
I'm a bit late honouring A Y Jackson whose birthday was today, but I started painting just before midnight, inspired by reading about the great master. His early plein air work was far more delicate and impressionistic than the later work we are familiar with. I wanted to capture his soft but intense colours and a very loose interpretation of one of his early works was the result.

A Y Jackson Radium Mine

A Y JACKSON

Alexander Young Jackson, CC CMG (October 3, 1882 – April 5, 1974) was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven. Jackson made a significant contribution to the development of art in Canada, and was successful in bringing together the artists of Montreal and Toronto. He exhibited with the Group of Seven from 1920. 

In addition to his work with the Group of Seven, his long career included serving as a war artist during World War I (1917–19) and teaching at the Banff School of Fine Arts, from 1943 to 1949. In his later years he was artist-in-residence at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg, Ontario

THE GROUP OF SEVEN, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, was a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933, originally consisting of

Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945),
Lawren Harris (1885–1970),
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972),
Frank Johnston (1888–1949),
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969),
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and
Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later,
A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926;
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932.
Two artists commonly associated with the group are
 
Tom Thomson (1877–1917) and (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", Lawren 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 was never an official member.

Believing that a distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature, The Group of Seven is most famous for its paintings inspired by the Canadian landscape, and initiated the first major Canadian national art movement. The Group was succeeded by the Canadian Group of Painters in the 1930s, which radically included female members.


Cat # 14158 Red Trees

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

I'M BAD - DAY EIGHTEEN - DAILY PAINTWORKS PICK OF THE DAY

YUKON

by Sea Dean
8" x 10" Canvas Panel

To view my online Gallery of originals please visit Daily Paintworks
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO here
More from my fellow intrepid and brave artists attempting the 30 paintings in 30 days here

OK guilty. I tweaked again!

I have a thing about chocolate box placement of incidental items in a painting, but I have to admit this looks better with the trees. I didn't start out to add a tree, I wanted to correct the mid field value. I corrected here and corrected there, and before you know it a tree had grown. I suppose that's the beauty of being an artist .... Artistic license.


Cat # 11010 Yukon

Monday, 30 June 2014

CANADA DAY - YAY! - BUY A FLAG - COMMISSION A FLAG

CANADA
USA - SOLD
UK

























Flags are a great deal of fun to paint. If you would like a patriotic painting of a flag that is special to you, I would be happy to take a commission. Both Canada and UK can be purchased via Daily Paintworks. If you're looking for USA I would be happy to take a commission in any size. 

Commissions start at $25


Wednesday, 18 June 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - FRANK JOHNSTON - FINANCIAL SUCCESS IN HIS LIFETIME - LOOKING BACK


LOOKING BACK
Acrylic Painting by Sea Dean 
4" x 4" on canvas panel

To view my Gallery please visit Daily Paintworks

I'm no longer crazy about traveling with all the problems of security, luggage limits, expense and wear and tear, not to mention that I seem to get a cold every time I'm in the air for long. However that hasn't diminished my love of flight. It's magic to me. I probably got this from my father who was crazy about flying and carved beautiful planes when he was a lad, which he hung from his bedroom ceiling. It's a shame they had gone before I came on the scene, but I've heard about them.

This was taken from "What greets the eye when you look back at the pilot" 1918 by Frank Johnston. Johnston was the most commercial of the Group of Seven and one of the few that did well financially in his lifetime. Some would say he "sold out" I say he was using his talent to gain financial freedom

In the early 20th century, flight was all the rage, so I can see why Johnston chose the subject. Pilots were returning from the first world war and setting up barn storming events which were highly popular. Wing walkers risked their lives to entertain. I had to paint the image as soon as I saw it because of the interesting composition and the feeling of adventure it imbues. I also think the pilot was female, which is very appealing to me. It was the time of ground breaking emancipation and brave women. Look at the way that plane is held together with string!


Group of Seven Group Photo
Far left - Frederick Varley,
Front - A. Y. Jackson,
Farthest back - Lawren Harris
Fifth from left - Frank Johnston
Sixth from left - Arthur Lismer
Far right - J. E. H. MacDonald
Man with pipe - Barker Fairley (not a GO7 member)
Image of Group of Seven Artists taken at the Arts and Letters Club Toronto in 1920


FRANK (Franz) JOHNSTON

Frank Johnston was born 19 June 1888. He was a Canadian artist and although he socialized with the Group of Seven artists he only exhibited with them once. He was an eager participant in Group activities, joining all the Algoma trips except the last. He was quite prolific, contributing sixty paintings, to the 1919 Algoma show, more than any other artist. A few months later he held a large one-man show of 200 paintings at T. Eaton Galleries.

Unlike Harris and MacDonald, Johnston used tempera which gave his work a different appearance. His early landscapes stood apart from the other members of the Group of Seven, being more concerned with texture than the scene he was depicting. Johnston's style became increasingly realistic as he matured and he was particular fascinated with the qualities of light reflecting on snow. This theme recurred in large narrative paintings of the 1930s and 1940s as well as his more intimate scenes. 

In the fall of 1921, Johnston became Principal of the Winnipeg School of Art, where he held the largest show the city had ever seen. He chose to exhibit in department store art galleries and his work became more decorative and commercial. He held solo exhibitions from 1920 and his work had a large public following. In 1924, he officially resigned from the Group of Seven, claiming that he preferred solo exhibitions. Unlike many Canadian artists, Johnston was able to achieve considerable financial success in his lifetime.

He died July 19, 1949, a month after his 61st birthday.


The Group of Seven 

Sometimes known as the Algonquin School. Canadian landscape painters 1920 - 1933, original members.
Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945),
Lawren Harris (1885–1970),
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972),
Frank Johnston (1888–1949),
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969),
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and
Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later,
A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926;
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932.

Two other artists commonly associated with the group are

Tom Thomson (1877–1917) 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", Lawren 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 (1871-1945) was also closely associated with the Group of Seven, though was never an official member. Believing that a distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature, The Group of Seven is most famous for its paintings inspired by the Canadian landscape, and initiated the first major Canadian national art movement. The Group was succeeded by the Canadian Group of Painters in the 1930s, which did include female members.

My apologies to those that received part of the blog yesterday. It got away from me. You may have missed my painting of the Eiffel Tower, so be sure to check my gallery of yesterday's blog below.

Cat # 14123 Looking Back

Friday, 16 May 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - A J CASSON - GROUP OF SEVEN - MINI MASTER - WILDERNESS LAKE WITH CLOUDS

WILDERNESS LAKE WITH CLOUDS, Homage to AJ Casson by Sea Dean






 A.J. CASSON
Alfred Joseph Casson, OC was born on May 17, 1898. He is best known for paintings of landscapes, forests and farms of southern Ontario and for being the youngest member of the Group of Seven. 

His first public exhibition was at the Canadian National Exhibition, in 1917. In the early part of the 20th century it was still very important to be a member of a recognized art society and so A. J. Casson belonged to many. Franklin Carmichael introduced him to The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, where he met well-known artists incuding Group of Seven members. In 1925 along with Carmichael and F.H. Brigden, he founded the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour.

In 1926 Carmichael invited Alfred to become a member of the Group of Seven and ironically, in the same year, he also became an Associate Member of the ultra conservative Royal Canadian Academy. In 1933, when the Group of Seven concluded, he co-founded the Canadian Group of Painters and several members of the Group of Seven followed, including Lawren Harris, Arthur Lismer, A. Y. Jackson and his mentor Franklin Carmichael.

Most of his life, Casson painted part-time, providing for his widowed mother and later his wife, by holding down a day job. He retired in 1957 at the age of 59, to paint full time.

A. J. Casson developed a style with clear colours and background designs. He loved to paint windblown skies and his peers jokingly called a blustery sky a Casson Sky. He also has a lake named after him in Ontario. One of his paintings appeared on the Antiques Road Show in 2008. Watch it here.

He died in 1992 at the age of 94 and is buried in the grounds of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, along with six other Group of Seven members.


The Group of Seven — sometimes known as the Algonquin school — was a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933, originally consisting o:-

Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945),
Lawren Harris (1885–1970),
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972),
Frank Johnston (1888–1949),
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969),
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and
Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later,
A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926;
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932.



Cat # 14095 Wilderness Lake with Clouds

Monday, 12 May 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - J E H MACDONALD, GROUP OF SEVEN - MINI MASTER - ARTHUR'S LAKE - DPW PICK


ARTHUR'S LAKE
PROFESSIONAL ACRYLIC ORIGINAL 
PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
4" x 4" on Canvas Panel

Homage to J.E.H. MacDonald on his birthday. 

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints available by contacting me.

J.E.H. MACDONALD

James Edward Hervey MacDonald was born in Durham, England May 12, 1873. In 1887 at the age of 14, MacDonald moved with his family to Hamilton, Ontario. Two years later, in 1889 they moved again to Toronto where he studied commercial art and became active in the Toronto Art Student League.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Lake_McArthur%2C_Yoho_Park_-_James_MacDonald.jpg
LAKE McARTHUR YOHO PARK - J.E.H. MacDonald *
JEH MacDonald.jpgIn November 1911, MacDonald exhibited sketches at the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. This was an important step as the exhibit brought him to the attention of Lawren Harris, who encouraged MacDonald to keep painting and show his work whenever he could. MacDonald became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and won acclaim in 1912 for his role in an exhibition at the Ontario Society of Artists.

In January 1913 he traveled to Buffalo, New York, where he saw an exhibition of Scandinavian Impressionist paintings which demonstrated an uninhibited approach that could be adopted by Canadian painters. Other Toronto-based commercial artists interested in original Canadian expression, were beginning to congregate around him and Harris. As such he became one of the leaders of the Group of Seven Canadian artists.

He passed away on November 26, 1932. Wikepedia


THE GROUP OF SEVEN
The Group of Seven — sometimes known as the Algonquin school — was a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933, originally consisting of
Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945),
Lawren Harris (1885–1970),
A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972),
Frank Johnston (1888–1949),
Arthur Lismer (1885–1969),
J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and
Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later,
A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926;
Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and
LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932.
Two artists commonly associated with the group are

Tom Thomson (1877–1917) and
 (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", Lawren 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 was never an official member.
Believing that a distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature, The Group of Seven is most famous for its paintings inspired by the Canadian landscape, and initiated the first major Canadian national art movement. The Group was succeeded by the Canadian Group of Painters in the 1930s, which did include female members.


14091 Arthur's Lake, Homage to JEH MacDonald by Sea Dean

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