In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven

"[A] love note and a thank you letter to the Group of Seven and a travelogue for our spectacular Canadian wilderness. . . . I would like to raise my glass to Jim and Sue Waddington for their dogged determination, their beautiful photographs and their passion for both the Group of Seven and Canada's native landscapes." — Newsletter of the North American Native Plant Society

"Fans will drool over the stunning comparions of paintings with photos of the real-life counterparts." — Canadian Living

While on a canoe trip in 1977, Jim and Sue Waddington located the place that was the inspiration for one of A.Y. Jackson’s paintings. This marked the beginning of their quest to find more of the special places chosen by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson. Their search began in Killarney Provincial Park, but they followed the painters throughout Ontario, to the east and west coasts of Canada, to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and, most recently, to Nunavut. They have learned about the painters’ habits and their techniques. Sue is an artist — a traditional rug hooker. Her rug-hooking designs have won awards in the Burlington Art Centre and from the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild. Jim is the photographer with no awards but plenty of rewards. They enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking, and the sport of orienteering. Although they have found some painting sites in cities and towns, they particularly enjoy the search for those sites that may be reached only by canoe or by foot.

While on a canoe trip in 1977, Jim and Sue Waddington located the place that was the inspiration for one of A.Y. Jackson’s paintings. This marked the beginning of their quest to find more of the special places chosen by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson. Their search began in Killarney Provincial Park, but they followed the painters throughout Ontario, to the east and west coasts of Canada, to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and, most recently, to Nunavut. They have learned about the painters’ habits and their techniques. Sue is an artist — a traditional rug hooker. Her rug-hooking designs have won awards in the Burlington Art Centre and from the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild. Jim is the photographer with no awards but plenty of rewards. They enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking, and the sport of orienteering. Although they have found some painting sites in cities and towns, they particularly enjoy the search for those sites that may be reached only by canoe or by foot.

Tom Smart is Director and CEO of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. He is the author of numerous books on Canadian art, including books on Mary Pratt, Alex Colville, and Miller Brittain.