PeakDash

Frost-tinged fall leaves. Geese flying in formation. Pine trees silhouetted against a lake. The vibrant Northern Lights. Tom Thomson’s paintings capture the essence of a place—and the soul of a country.

In the early 20th century, Thomson helped launch the first major artistic movement in Canada. He died mysteriously at age 39 on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, but his influence still resonates more than a century later.

I am intrigued by Thomson because I believe paintings have the power to inspire creativity, change attitudes and create artistic movements. Thirty years after completing my fine arts major, I’m still searching for my place in the art world, somewhat remorseful that I chose practical career fields over one that fed my spirit.

Great art, or a place that inspired it, makes me feel young and idealistic again. I felt that way on a recent trip to Algonquin, where Thomson’s brushstrokes captured the ruggedness of an untamed land—the frigid lakes, vivid leaf colours and tall Jack pines. It was a landscape that I wanted to experience firsthand.

I rented a car in Ottawa and drove three hours to the park’s entrance. Highway 60 cuts through Algonquin for 56 kilometres. Because the one-hour drive passes through conifer and hardwood trees, in September and October it’s one of Canada’s most spectacular road trips.

Created in 1893, Algonquin is the oldest provincial park in Canada and the largest in Ontario. An easy day’s drive from Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal, it’s also one of the most popular.

Algonquin covers 7,630 square kilometres, roughly the same size as Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Much of the park is unspoiled backcountry that contains 2,400 lakes. Canoeing to remote camping destinations, something Thomson did frequently, is still a popular activity.

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