In 2011 I was in Ottawa for a medical conference and was able to spend half a day at the National Gallery.  I had always admired the Group of Seven but  it wasn’t until I was face to face with the real paintings of the seven that I understood what tremendous artists they were.  I was nearly moved to tears by the works of Lawren Harris and Tom Thompson.  While there I sketched madly and promised myself that I would do more art, that I would try to start to paint-real painting, fine art on canvas.  And for the past year I have.

When my PaintFest painting, A moonstruck westcoast was hung on the wall at BC Children’s Hospital one of the physicians said to me, “It looks like something done by one of the group of seven.”  His complement took my breathe away.  I was given the gift of being compared to my greatest inspiration.  It’s what every painter desires and I don’t think it can get any better than that.

Lawren Stewart Harris 1885 – 1970

Coldwell Bay North of Lake Superior 1923 Lawren Harris
This painting showed me how to think about how distilling trees and landscape into basic shapes.  It was also my inspiration for using yellow for highlights.

Afternoon Sun, Lake Superior

Algoma Country, Lawren Harris
A lot of my painting colour palette comes from this vibrant piece.

Spring on the Oxtongue River, Lawren Harris
The painting that convinced me that if Lawren Harris didn’t have perfectly shaped trees then I didn’t have to either.

Northern Island II, Lawren Harris

A Moonstruck Westcoast by Susan L. Greig