Arthur Lismer

Biography

(1885 - 1969) Arthur Lismer celebrated the powerful beauty of the Canadian landscape in his own expressionist style. His paintings are characterized by vivid colors, deliberately coarse brushwork, and a simplified form.

Lismer was born in Sheffield, England. At the age of 26, he immigrated to Canada seeking work as a commercial illustrator. It was at the Grip Engraving Company in Toronto where he met a group of other talented young artists who collectively formed the Group of Seven in 1920. Together, they organized trips to explore and sketch the wilderness - capturing the spirit of Canada in their work, and setting Canadian art on a bold and original new course.

Although Lismer painted throughout his life, he devoted the majority of his time to art education. A gifted teacher, Lismer pioneered the field of child art education across Canada and around the world.