BCKC Presents: In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven & Tom Thomson

Name: BCKC Presents: In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven & Tom Thomson
Start: 2025-04-14T19:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-04-14T21:00:00-04:00
Location: Barrie South Shore Ctr

Schedule

Mon Apr 14 2025 at 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Barrie South Shore Ctr | Barrie, ON

For almost five decades, Sue and Jim have searched for places that inspired the Group of Seven painters and Tom Thomson. They especially enjoy locating sites that can only be reached by canoe and foot. The talk will compare photographs of some of the 800 painting sites they have found with the corresponding artwork. They will discuss how they find the painting sites and what they have learned about the painters and their art.
In their talks, Sue and Jim show their photographs alongside art from Killarney, Algonquin, Neys, Lake Superior and Bon Echo Provincial Parks, the Georgian Bay Islands, Nova Scotia, BC, the Yukon and Nunavut.
About the Authors: Sue is a retired nurse. She is also an artist – a traditional rug hooker. Her rug hooking designs have won awards in the Burlington Art Centre and the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild. In 1977, she made a rug hooking adapted from A.Y. Jackson’s painting “Hills, Killarney, Ontario (Nellie Lake).”
Later that year, Sue and Jim paddled to Nellie Lake in Killarney Provincial Park. They were surprised they could locate the exact spot Jackson had sat when he did the painting. After this initial success, they continued searching for other painting locations. Since the artists did not keep detailed records of where they worked, each picture represents a puzzle to be solved. For each of the about 800 places located, they photographed the scene and compared it with the artist’s impression.
Jim is a retired physics professor from McMaster University who likes maps and the sport of orienteering. He was awarded the McMaster University President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. However, he has no artistic talent at all.
Doors open at 6:30 pm to enjoy time to socialize over snacks and beverages. Coffee, tea and/or snacks will be available, but please BYO mug.