Wild Encounters with a Group of 7 or so

Further Details on Wild Encounters with a Group of 7 or so...
Series, 2011-2013
Oil on Canadian Birch Panel,

Background Information on Series
(Including compositional break-downs, Side-by-Side Comparisons with the Originals
and examples of Preliminary Sketches)

The Group of 7 casts a very large and long shadow over every one of us Canadian artists, for better or worse, will do forever. They are the most recognized, talked about and seen artists we have.

The Group started with 7 members, and added a few more members along the way. The collective group ending up being upwards of 12 individuals by the end. Their images inundate our culture, they are everywhere.

They were calling to be played with frankly. I've been looking at them my whole life. I've stared them all down. They needed recontextualizing, to let them actually be seen again rather than just looked at. At least for me anyhow. I've known the Group for so long and so well, I'm allowed to tease them a bit. They can take a joke. Trust me.

I wondered what happened in their scenes just out of bounds of their views, what had happened a second before or a second after. What was 'out of bounds', in more ways than one, pun intended. I'm interested in action, movement, a frozen moment. They were too, just in a different way really. I wanted to delve into these iconic works and play, to grab the viewer to change them with a unique view, to re-engage and to open discussion on the subject matter and discussions about the canadian art history in a new, or at least different way. A post-modern way, if you'll forgive me.

Parody is the sincerest form of flattery. These artists are as big as you get here in Canada. They have inundated and permeated the culture, especially that of Canadian Art History more than any other group or individual. I just wanted to inundate them for awhile.

Series of preliminary plein-air (open air) sketches
Completed in the field, done as close to the original Group of 7 Artist's known painting locations as historical information would allow possible.
These very quickly created sketches later became basis for the final large scale paintings completed in-studio, following the processes of the original "Group of 7".
Oil on Masonite Board
14cm x 19cm (5.5" x 7.5")

Selectively Coloured Versions
Indicating original "Group of 7" Artist work's Dimensions/Ratio within the Andrew Hutchison works, in colour, Digitally.
(Hutchison version on left, with Original Group of 7 painting, as reference placed on right)

Hutchison's view (version) of Harris' "Isolation Peak"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Frozen Still at Isolation Peak

Original
Lawren Harris
Isolation Peak, Rocky Mountains, 1930
Oil on Canvas
106.7cm x 127cm
© Hart House Permanent Collection, University of Toronto

Hutchison's view (version) of Lismer's "Isles of Spruce"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Playing it loose with the Isles of Spruce

Original
Arthur Lismer
Isles of Spruce, Algoma, 1922
Oil on Canvas
119.4cm x 162.6cm
© Hart House Permanent Collection, University of Toronto
Purchased from Group 1928

Hutchison's view (version) of Thomson's "The Jack Pine"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Serious bind near the Jack Pine

Original
Tom Thomson
The Jack Pine, Algonquin, 1916
Oil on Canvas
127.9cm x 139.8cm
© National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.1519)
Purchased 1918

Hutchison's view (version) of Johnston's "The Fire Ranger"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Ready, Aim, Fire Ranger

Original
Franz (Frank) Johnston
The Fire Ranger, 1921
Oil on Canvas
123 x 153.2cm
© National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.1823)

Hutchison's view (version) of Casson's "Winter on the Don"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Sleigh Ride all over in the Winter, on the Don

Original
A.J. Casson
Winter on the Don, 1926
Watercolour on Paper
47.2cm x 54.2cm
© McMicheal Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg (no. 1969.7.6)

Hutchison's view (version) of Carr's "The Shoreline"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Not too kind near the Shoreline

Original
Emily Carr
The Shoreline, Beach in front of Beacon Hill Cliffs
with Clover Point in the distance,1936
Oil on Canvas
68.0cm x 111.5cm
©McMicheal Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg (no.1966.2.1)
Gift of Mrs. H.P. de Pencier

Hutchison's view (version) of Jackson's "Terre Sauvage"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Sauvagerie sur la Terre Sauvage

Original
A.Y. Jackson
Terre Sauvage, 1913
Oil on Canvas
128.8cm x 154.4cm
©National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.4351)
Gift courtesy Estate of the late Dr. Naomi Jackson Groves

Hutchison's view (version) of Varley's "Stormy Weather"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Totally Flocked in the Stormy Weather

Original
Frederick Varley
Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay, 1921
Oil on Canvas
132.6cm x 162.8cm
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.1814)
Purchased 1921
©Varley Art Gallery / Town of Markham, Ontario

Hutchison's view (version) of Holgate's "Totem Poles"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Reaping the Rewards of the Totem Poles

Original
Edwin Holgate
Totem Poles, Gitsegukla, 1927
Oil on Canvas
80.9cm x 81.1cm
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.4426)
Purchased 1939
©Estate of Edwin Holgate - Jonathan Rittenhouse, Executor

Hutchison's view (version) of Fitzgerald's "Late Fall"
out of bounds.
tentatively entitled - Bad Call in Late Fall

Original
L.L. Fitzgerald
Late Fall, Manitoba, 1917
Oil on Canvas
76.7cm x 91.7cm
©National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.1483)
Purchased 1918
Patricia and Earl Green, co-holders of the Fitzgerald Copyright

Hutchison's view (version) of Carmichael's "Autumn Hillside"
out of bounds
tentatively entitled - Chased down the Autumn Hillside

Original
Franklin Carmichael
Autumn Hillside, 1920
Oil on Canvas
76cm x 91.4cm
©Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Gift of J.S. McLean Collection, 1969
Donated by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1988
Courtesy of the Estate of Franklin Carmicheal

Hutchison's view (version) of MacDonald's "Tangled Garden"
out of bounds
tentatively entitled - Entanglement in the Tangled Garden

Original
J.E.H. MacDonald
The Tangled Garden, 1916
Oil on Beaverboard
121.4cm x 152.4cm
©National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (no.4291)
Gift of W.M. Southam, F.N. Southam, H.S. Southam 1937,
in memory of their brother Richard Southam

Examples of COMPOSITIONAL connections and viewing sight lines superimposed over top of works in the series
Completed to highlight digitally the viewers relationship and sight lines, i.e. how the rhythm of the eye
travels in and through each piece and its connection to its designed pairing. Though not necessarily noticed, in whole or in part, this aspect was part of the design and intention within the series. The movement of the viewers eyes are fundamental in this series and the artists process.

Background Information and Images of the individual artists who formed "The Group of 7"
(The "Group of 12" just didn't have the same ring to it)

The Group of 7 are our most famous Artists. Our most seen. Our most Canadian some might say. It's arguable. But they what ever your stance is, they are undoubtedly our most widely known. They were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933. Originally consisting of Lawren Harris, Franklin Carmichael, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, Frank Johnston, Frederick Varley, and J.E.H. MacDonald. A.J. Casson was invited to join the group in 1926. Edwin Holgate became a member in 1930 and finally, L.L. Fitzgerald joined in 1932. Often closely associated with the group, and greatly influenced by them, was Emily Carr.

Tom Thomson, the largest influence on the groups style and lore, died over a year before the group formation.

The Group believed in a distinctly Canadian art that could be developed through direct contact with nature, and they influenced the first and most major Canadian artistic movement in our history.

Their influence continues to this day.

Tom Thomson

Arthur Lismer

Lawren Harris

Franklin Carmichael

A.Y. Jackson

Frank Johnston

J.E.H. MacDonald

Frederick Varley

Edwin Holgate

L. Lemoine Fitzgerald

Emily Carr

A.J. Casson