Tom Thomson’s Ontario: Landscape that shaped a Canadian Legend August 17 – 19, 2010

A very special, informative tour arranged for The Volunteers' Circle of The National Gallery of Canada

	Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary
	From the Claremont home where he was born, to Jack Pine Farm where he grew up, to Kleinburg and Owen Sound where his works are on display, to Canoe Lake where his life ended so early and so mysteriously, we’ll follow the life and work of Tom Thomson, legendary Canadian painter. Tours to McMichael Gallery and the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery, lunches in Port Perry and Algonquin Park, dinner and accommodations at the beautiful Hockley Valley Resort make this a truly memorable tour.

	August 17 – Depart from the National Gallery of Canada. Lunch at Francesco’s Ristorante in Port Perry. Drive to Claremont to see the home where Tom Thomson was born. Continue on for a guided tour at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg. Renowned for its devotion to collecting and exhibiting only Canadian art, the McMichael permanent collection consists of almost 6,000 artworks by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, their contemporaries, and First Nations, Inuit and other artists who have made a contribution to Canada’s artistic heritage. Built of fieldstone and hand-hewn logs, the McMichael houses thirteen exhibition galleries and is situated amid 100 acres of serene conservation land. Floor-to-ceiling windows enable visitors to enjoy marvellous views of the densely wooded Humber River Valley. Through a network of outdoor paths and hiking trails, visitors can discover outdoor sculptures and wander the McMichael Cemetery where six Group of Seven members and gallery co-founder Robert McMichael have been laid to rest. After our tour, depart for the Hockley Valley Resort in Orangeville. Nestled in over 300 acres of spectacular country-side in the Hills of Headwaters, the year-round resort is a place where guests can enjoy virtually every aspect of both the great outdoors and the great indoors. Dinner and overnight at the resort. LD

		August 18 – Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and depart for Leith and a tour of the historic Leith Church, site of the grave of Tom Thomson. Leith United Church, an "Auld Kirk" (Church of Scotland) Presbyterian Church when it was erected in 1865, is one of the finest examples of pre-Confederation architecture in Ontario's Sydenham Township. Visit Rose Hill farm, just a few steps away, now known as Jack Pine Farm, where Tom Thomson grew up. Lunch on your own followed by a guided tour of the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery in Owen Sound. In addition to a rich core of works by Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, the collection offers significant contemporary art by regional and national artists. The focus is on works relating to the landscape, and the many contemporary interpretations of that tradition. Check in at the Best Western On The Bay, located on the beautiful shores of Georgian Bay in Owen Sound. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. BD

	August 19 – Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and depart for Algonquin Park. Lunch at Arowhon Pines. After lunch, meet our local guide who will share stories and rumours about Tom Thomson as we visit Canoe Lake, site of Thomson’s mysterious death, Tea Lake Dam, where he painted, the Portage Store and the Algonquin Art Centre. Return to Ottawa. BL

	Coordinators: Felicity Garrard Peter Clark Travel Agency: Executive Worldwide Travel Agent: Jean Sheikh, C.T.C. (613) 236-5555 Or 1-800-267-5552 Registration No.: 1892605
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