Tom Thomson
Tom Thomson was a Canadian landscape artist who lived from 1877 to 1917. Thomson was a main influence for a group of artists that came to be known as the ‘Group of Seven’, or the ‘Algonquin School’. These artists were inspired by the landscape of Canada and created the first major art movement within the country.
Thomson was born in Ontario to a large family. He painted as a child along with his siblings but did not show any special talent for it. Thomson had poor health throughout his adolescence and suffered from respiratory issues. His ill health forced his parents to withdraw him from school, so he spent his time wandering in the local woods. Thomas was denied entrance into both the Second Boer War and WWI due to his health problems and flat feet.
In 1901, Tom Thomson enrolled in business school and learned calligraphy and bookkeeping amongst other skills. This got him his first job as an etcher and draughtsperson. Thomson joined his brother out in Seattle for some time. After having a brief love affair that ended when his marriage proposal was declined, Thomson returned to Canada. In 1908, Thomson started working at an artistic design firm in Toronto where he met other landscape artists that would eventually form together into the ‘Group of Seven’. Though he painted as a child, he was never truly formally trained. The most artistic education he received was from on the job training.
Starting in 1912, Thomson would take long excursions to Algonquin Park accompanied by his new artist friends. These trips into nature would greatly inspire his work. From his association with the art crowd, in 1912, Thomas started to seriously pursue art. In 1913, he quit his job to be able to work on his art full time and started exhibiting his work. In 1914, Thomson briefly worked at Algonquin Park as a park ranger and firefighter. He quit in 1916 after it left him no time for his art.
In 1917, Thomson disappeared on a canoe trip. Though his canoe was found that day, it took eight days to recover his body. The official cause of death given was drowning, though some people suspect foul play to be involved. He was just 39 years old. Shortly after his death, his artist friends formed the ‘Group of Seven’ and have credited Thomson as a heavy influence on their ideology. Other famous artists of that movement include Emily Carr.
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