NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY
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Each year the Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) hosts the Carmichael Art History Lecture, to celebrate the Orillia-born artist and member of the Group of Seven and their contributions to Canadian art.
OMAH expected a sell-out crowd for this year’s event, which is also a fundraiser. This year, the History Committee prepared to feature Jim and Sue Waddington with their unique talk, “Following the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson” that was to be held on May 5. Disappointingly, the talk was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
All is not lost. OMAH is grateful to the Waddingtons for allowing us to share a YouTube video of a shortened version of their talk to enjoy. The video was produced by IdeaCity. Here is the link to the video.
Sue and Jim Waddington have been on a quest to locate the exact places that inspired the Group of Seven painters and Tom Thomson. Since the artists did not keep detailed records of where they worked, each painting represents a puzzle to be solved.
The Waddingtons particularly like to search for sites that can only be reached by canoe or by foot.
Their talk compares photographs of some of the 700 painting sites they have found with the corresponding iconic artwork, the artist’s impression of the same scene. They discuss how they locate the painting sites and what they have learned about the painters.
This has truly been an amazing quest and we congratulate the Waddingtons for their contribution to the legacy of the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson.
OMAH continues to look at ways to keep connected to the community, by regularly showcasing both art and history through social media. Please consider becoming part of OMAH’s community by engaging with us virtually on Facebook and Instagram.
OMAH From Home is the museum’s digital engagement campaign that helps you stay connected through our local arts, heritage and culture.
Please consider supporting OMAH by renewing your membership or becoming a donor by clicking on the Support page on OMAH’s website.
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