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Splash of Autumn Color

© Traute Klein, biogardener

The Tom Tomson exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Galery is alive with splashes color of the famous artist who revolutionized Canadian art. Let his work inspire you.

Autumn Color

Are you hesitant when you splash color onto a piece of paper or onto a canvas? Don't be. Have a look at Mother Nature in autumn and see how she splashes color on a landscape. If she can do it, so can you and I. I have experienced the most glorious autumns, traveling along the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario. There, Jack Frost arrives in August already to paint the green leaves of the trees over with vibrant reds and yellows. That is a great time, because most families are returning from their summer vacations then. Don't forget to hold your mouse over each picture to read the title and date.

Painters' Summer Retreat

Almost a hundred years ago, that beautiful piece of God's earth was discovered by a group of painters from Ontario's south. One of them, Tom Tomson, had been working there as a fishing guide in the summer, and he convinced his friends that the beautiful scenery would inspire them to be better painters. One of his friends, Lauren Harris, came from the rich "Harris Farm Machinery" family, and he was able to help the others to survive without earning money all summer long. Farmers will recognize the name of the "Massey-Harris" tractors. The Massey family also produced a great artist, the actor Raymond Massey the monster brother in one of my favorite movies, "Arsenic and Old Lace." Back to Lake Superior. Tom Tomson, unfortunately, was murdered at much too young an age, but he accomplished a lot in his six summers of painting, and his seven friends carried on after him. They formed the "Group of Seven," the most famous group in Canada's art history. Their work, like that of their friend Tom, looks at nature in a new way, not through the eyes of a camera but through the eyes of an artist. These discovered the power of color, and most of their paintings are made up of splashes of color.

Tom Tomson Exhibition

The Winnipeg Art Gallery is hosting a Tom Thomson exhibit from September 26 to December 7, 2003, showing his work as well as that of his friends. I wish you could see the paintings, but most of you live too far from Winnipeg, so in this article, I am showing you some of Tom Tomson's work to encourage you to splash vibrant color onto paper or onto canvas as he did.

The copyright of the article Splash of Autumn Color in Art for Children is owned by Traute Klein, biogardener. Permission to republish Splash of Autumn Color in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.