Canadian Society of Painters in water colour, 100th anniversary

The Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour was established Nov. 11, 1925.  It was co-founded by artists Franklin Carmichael (born in Orillia), and A.J. Casson, both members of the Group of Seven, and Fred H. Brigden, Charles W. Jefferys, Fred S. Haines, L.A.C. Panton, Robert F. Gagen, Thomas G. Greene, Robert Holmes, André Lapine, and J.E. Sampson. With letters of support submitted from fellow artists Walter J. Phillips, Florence H. McGillivrary and Paul Alfred, they formed the society for “the practice and encouragement of painting in watercolour”. They believed that watercolour was not necessarily just a sketching medium or just for preliminary studies for more serious work in oils, but that the medium could be the equal of any as a means of significant artistic expression and for the creation of vital and important artworks.  In 2025, we celebrate the society’s 100th anniversary.