In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven, by Jim and Sue Waddington
Retracing Canada’s most treasured artists
Beginning in Killarney, and continuing to the ancient mountaintops of the La Cloche region, the woods and hills of Pic Island, beyond Ontario to the edges of canyons and seascapes, art historians Jim and Sue Waddington retrace the steps of Canada’s most treasured artists.
Dubbed the “Group of Seven Groupies,” the husband and wife duo camp, trek, and canoe into the wild, while documenting the exact locations where these remarkable artists painted emblems of nationhood – nearly a century ago.
The Group were famed because they went off-thebeaten-track to tame the wilderness in paint, and interpret the Canadian cultural identity better than anyone could. Lawren Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald, Frederick Varley, Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson, Franklin Carmichael, Frank Johnston, and later A.J. Casson, Edwin Holgate, and L.L. Fitzgerald: called themselves the Group of Seven, although there were more than seven artists.
The book unfolds like a diary of the Waddington’s discoveries over the past 36-years. We feel the couple’s passion as their eyes dance with the realization they are standing exactly where the long-dead artist unleashed creativity, including their disappointment when a significant rock is found rolled off a cliff. “We are taken along a path of intrigue and mystery, tracking down clues, deciphering incomplete bits of information, tracing ancient portage routes, climbing craggy peaks, and exploring hidden inlets all with the purpose of finding an elusive point of contact between an artist and a viewer,” write the duo. This book is a plethora of modern photographs comparing and contrasting with the original paintings of the Group of Seven on the opposite pages. From unending rolling hills, plains, and open skies, the reader sees Canada’s culture in all its glory, and gains insight into the lives of the Waddington’s and those behind the brush.
The side-by-side images really give the reader a sense of the romantic adventure the couple went on to rediscover the landscapes beyond the cities and the towns that the Group of Seven portrayed in their artwork.
Seeing the real life image of a legendary painting gives insight into their skill and how they interpreted what they saw. The brightness and colour of the book combined with the detective narrative was really a joy to read.
Overall, this comes at an appropriate time when Canada turns 150.
The book reminds the reader that the significant past is always present. It captures the incredible magical and eerie landscapes of Canada, with many scenes still frozen in time.
And the Waddington’s effectively involve the reader to feel a new level of appreciation for art, history and adventure. Jim and Sue Waddington live in Hamilton, Ontario. Sue is an award-winning rug-hooker, and Jim is the photographer. They enjoy the great outdoors and searching for Canadian sites that may only be reached by canoe or by foot.