For this wintry scene we were inspired by Canadian founding Group of Seven member, A.Y Jackson’s painting Aurora. Alexander Young Jackson was born on October 3, 1882 in Montreal, Quebec. He was a founding member of the Group of Seven. The Group of Seven was a group of Canadian landscape painters who believed that a style of distinctly Canadian art should be developed through direct contact with Canada’s rugged wilderness. They were considered bold and innovative because the Canadian wilderness had previously been considered too severe and wild to be painted.
His artistic talent was revealed when A.Y. Jackson began work at age twelve for a Montreal Lithography (printing) company to help support his mother and five siblings. He took evening classes to train as an artist. Jackson enlisted in the Canadian Army’s 60th battalion in 1915. Soon after he reached the front he was wounded. While recovering from his injuries his artistic talents were discovered and he was transferred to the Canadian War Records branch as an artist. He later worked for the Canadian War Memorials as an official war artist from 1917 – 1919.
He formally joined the Group of Seven in 1919 and exhibited with them. The Group of Seven formed to express Canada’s rugged wilderness wihin a distinctively “Canadian” style – a style that would break from European tradition. To many, their art symbolizes the distinct Canadian identity. A.Y Jackson received honorary doctorates from: Queens University, McMaster University, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of British Columbia. He was also made a companion of the Order of Canada for outstanding achievements and excellence. He died on April 5, 1974.
For this project, students used masking tape to create a very straight line as the base of the mountain range. Students used chalk pastels for the snowy ground or frozen water below the mountain range, and used magenta, blue and black watercolours for the sky as well as a small sprinkle of salt to resist the watercolour and make stars, or aurora. Using an old gift card cut in half to be used similarly as a pallet knife, students scraped out the mountains with Prussian blue followed by a light layer of white for the snow-capped mountain tops. Then, using a fan brush students created a large evergreen tree covered in snow in the foreground. Take a look at these stunning results – some were entitled “Silent Night” and “Christmas in the Mountains.” Great work everyone, I know some of our Art in Action students were planning on giving these as Christmas gifts to someone special.
So silent and beautiful. Amazing work everyone!