Our vast and varied landscape is as unique and diverse as the Canadians who inhabit it. The beauty of our landscape can be a source of national pride, but our land is also going through many challenges such as climate change, land claims, and loss of natural habitats.  Tradition Transformed asks the question, what does the Canadian landscape mean to you.

This annual juried exhibition was created in recognition of landscape artist and Group of Seven member, Franklin Carmichael, who was born in Orillia. Now in its 22nd year, this juried exhibition calls on artists from across the country to submit work that reimagines the Canadian landscape through the artist’s chosen medium, including but not limited to drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and media arts.

Tradition Transformed: Artist Talk

Thursday, November 30, 2023 5 PM

Image credits, left to right:
Luci Dilkus,  Nature/Nurture #1. Oak bark and crocheted yarn on wood panel 11”x26”x1”
John Notten, Common Keel.  Wood, metal, motor with foot switch, string, stain 46″x19″x72″Peter Fyfe, Canadian Car Strata.  288 toy diecast cars, one plane, mixed media and acrylic paint, 43.5″x20.5″x2.5″

Installation Photos

The Jurors’ Prize is awarded to an artist who best exemplifies the qualities that Franklin Carmichael found ideal, that is, incorporating diversity in their work and remaining sophisticated in their depictions of the various landscapes in our geography.  The recipient of this award should visibly be embracing, challenging or addressing existing approaches to Canadian landscapes. 

This year’s Jurors’ Prize has been awarded to Lori Harrison for her artwork, Three Pines.  

The painting recalls childhood memories of pine trees in the northern Ontario landscape. These themes of memory and longing confronts settler heritage including land disruption, unpacking the complex history and truths of this land.  -Lori Harrison

This artwork, for me, immediately translates the artist’s connection to the natural world. I feel the sensitivity and love coming through with the delicate placement and movement of the marks. Through this piece, I feel my own connection to the environment. –Sue A. Miller, Juror

This painting immediately transported me into a natural environment: I could feel the sensation of the pine needles underfoot, the dark woods surrounding me, the smells in the forest. It is an excellent example of how art responds to the experience and memories of being in relationship with land. – Amy Bagshaw, Juror

The Kevin J. Batchelor Emerging Artist Award is given to an emerging artist working in either one of the 2-D mediums such as painting, drawing or mixed media and was selected by the Batchelor family.  Kevin J. Batchelor who was a local arts advocate, music teacher and artist.

This year’s recipient is Peter Cheung for his artwork Natural Beauty.

Canada boasts a breathtaking landscape that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean. Its vast forests, majestic mountains and sprawling plains define this immense nation. Despite its size, Canada’s people are as diverse as its geography, from the indigenous peoples to the early European settlers and to the immigrants from all corners of the globe, Canada is known for its welcoming and polite population and multiculturalism. “Natural Beauty” is my interpretation of Canada’s landscape and people, how these blend seamlessly to transform a country not just beautiful but also a shining example of inclusivity, equality and unity on the global stage. -Peter Cheung

We are thrilled to recognize Peter Cheung’s entry, “Natural Beauty”, for the Kevin J. Batchelor Emerging Artist Award. We feel a dynamic energy within this landscape that encourages us to look inward to assess our own relationships with the world around us. “Natural Beauty” invites the viewer into a world of wonder, and encourages us to look at the beauty of ourselves and how we fit into our own landscapes. It strips away societal constraints and reminds us of the interconnectedness of our own human experience within the natural world. Cheung’s work provides us with a very intimate and beautiful depiction of the vulnerability of life. -Batchelor Family