The Art Gallery of Sudbury is holding a major new exhibition on Group of Seven artist Franklin Carmichael (1890-1945) titled An artist’s process.
The exhibition was produced by the Gallery with generous access by members of Franklin Carmichael’s family, the Estate of Franklin Carmichael, and funding from the Government of Canada through Canadian Heritage.
“The works of art in the exhibition are of outstanding significance by their close association with a person, Canadian artist Franklin Carmichael (1890-1945), and a group of artists, the Group of Seven (1920-1932), who were emblematic of a critically significant early 20th-century national modernist art movement,” says a gallery news release.
Franklin Carmichael, the youngest original member of Canada’s most storied group of artists, the Group of Seven, first visited the region in 1924. From then on, until he passed away in 1945, his paintings, drawings, and prints captured the beautiful light and rugged landscape of La Cloche region in the District of Sudbury.
Showcasing 37 original drawings and paintings from the artist’s estate, most never before exhibited, this exhibition provides visitors with an exclusive preview of the foundational gift of the future Franklin Carmichael Art Gallery of Sudbury.
“The exhibition provides a wonderfully intimate look at the artist’s approach to painting landscape. There is a tremendous resonance in Franklin Carmichael’s practice of painting outdoors, en plein air, on site (in his case, usually from a height) with a great view of La Cloche or Lake Superior or a smaller northern town like Cobalt before him, with that of very many of our regional artists today, both professional and amateur. Artists, residents and visitors to our beautiful region alike find the experience of being in nature, in the great outdoors, whether hiking, canoeing, photographing or painting, to be essential to health and quality of life.
“When Franklin Carmichael died suddenly, all of his art works, including many that he was still working on, fell into the care of his family. These works reveal the materials he used, his palette of colours, how he prepared a panel or painting surface, his preliminary sketch, his form of composition, and his process of painting, whether in oils or in watercolour. We consider it a tremendous responsibility and privilege to bring works like these in the public sphere, works that the artist himself may never have intended to be exhibited. We have approached this special exhibition with the utmost respect and care.
Franklin Carmichael (1890-1945) was the youngest founding member of the Group of Seven.
In addition to his association with the Group of Seven, Franklin Carmichael held memberships in numerous art societies, including the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (founding member, 1925; president, 1932-1934), Canadian Group of Painters (founding member, 1933), and Ontario Society of Artists (president, 1937-1940). In 1932, he became head of the Graphic Design and Commercial Art Department at the Ontario College of Art, Toronto, where he was a distinguished teacher until his death in 1945. He was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy in 1935 and became a full academician in 1938.
Franklin Carmichael was born in Orillia, Ontario. By 1911 he was working in Toronto, for the commercial art firm, Grip Limited, which served as a catalyst for his introduction to artists such as J.E.H. MacDonald (1873-1932), Arthur Lismer (1885-1969), Tom Thomson (1877-1917) and Lawren Harris (1885-1970). Carmichael studied in evening courses at the Ontario College of Art with G.A. Reid (1860-1947) and William Cruikshank (1849-1922), and at the Toronto Technical School with Gustav Hahn (1866-1962). From 1913 to 1914, Carmichael continued his education in Europe, attending the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, where Arthur Lismer and Fred Varley (1881-1969) had studied. In 1915 he married Ada Lillian Went. Following his marriage, he worked in Toronto for the commercial art firm, Rous and Mann, where he met A.J. Casson (1898-1992).[1]
Pre-book your visit online at artsudbury.org or call (705) 675-4871 to make your booking. There are five different time spots available each day. You and your group will have exclusive access to the Gallery and gift shop for one hour. We can accommodate small groups of one to eight persons from the same family or social bubble. Visitors and staff conform to Covid-19 precautions as outlined by Health Unit Sudbury and District: masks and gloves are provided as necessary, social distancing, with hand sanitizing stations. Gallery touch points including washrooms are sanitized between tours.
The exhibition continues until December 24. Admission is by donation.
The Art Gallery of Sudbury is located at 251 John Street.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
