In July of 1977, Jim and Sue Waddington began a 36 year journey of discovery that has culminated in this remarkable achievement, In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven. Determined to locate, document, and photograph the actual landscapes that inspired and influenced the brushes of A.Y. Jackson, Franklin Carmichael, Arthur Lismer, Lawren Harris, A.J. Casson, J.E.H. MacDonald, Tom Thomson, and Frederick Varley, the Waddingtons embarked on an artistic expedition that carried them across Canada from sea to sea to sea. Their search for the secret of the innovative spirit has resulted in this delightfully diverse production that brings the reader to the very spots where some of Canada's greatest art was conceived.

Richly illustrated with reproductions of the original artwork by the Group of Seven and augmented with expressive text and absorbing photographs of the actual locations where these legendary paintings were created, the Waddingtons have created a journal of enduring images that document the lush landscapes, rugged countryside, and wondrous waters that help define us as Canadians. In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven explores and details the Waddingtons' adventures, inviting us to travel with them into the wild, woods, and rivers and come face to face with the allusive muses that enlightened and enriched this renowned group of artists.

While on a canoe trip in 1977, Jim and Sue Waddington located the place that was the inspiration for one of A.Y. Jackson’s paintings. This marked the beginning of their quest to find more of the special places chosen by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson. Their search began in Killarney Provincial Park, but they followed the painters throughout Ontario, to the east and west coasts of Canada, to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and, most recently, to Nunavut. They have learned about the painters’ habits and their techniques. Sue is an artist — a traditional rug hooker. Her rug-hooking designs have won awards in the Burlington Art Centre and from the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild. Jim is the photographer with no awards but plenty of rewards. They enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking, and the sport of orienteering. Although they have found some painting sites in cities and towns, they particularly enjoy the search for those sites that may be reached only by canoe or by foot.

Jim Waddington's profile page

While on a canoe trip in 1977, Jim and Sue Waddington located the place that was the inspiration for one of A.Y. Jackson’s paintings. This marked the beginning of their quest to find more of the special places chosen by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson. Their search began in Killarney Provincial Park, but they followed the painters throughout Ontario, to the east and west coasts of Canada, to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and, most recently, to Nunavut. They have learned about the painters’ habits and their techniques. Sue is an artist — a traditional rug hooker. Her rug-hooking designs have won awards in the Burlington Art Centre and from the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild. Jim is the photographer with no awards but plenty of rewards. They enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking, and the sport of orienteering. Although they have found some painting sites in cities and towns, they particularly enjoy the search for those sites that may be reached only by canoe or by foot.

Sue Waddington's profile page

Tom Smart is the Executive Director and CEO of the McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario, and the President of the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation. For seven years he was Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Frick Art & Historical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he developed an ambitious international exhibition program, and at the same time, he was appointed a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. He served as Acting Director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery from 1997 until 1999 and was Curator of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton from 1989 to 1997. Smart is the author of nine books and catalogues. His most recent book is the critically acclaimed Alex Colville: Return, which moved criticism of Colville's works to a new intellectual level. His 1995 book The Art of Mary Pratt: The Substance of Light won the Atlantic Provinces Booksellers Association Booksellers Choice Award, the Studio Magazine Award of Merit, and the Printing Industries of America Award of Merit. It was included in Great Canadian Books of the Century.

Tom Smart's profile page

"[A] love note and a thank you letter to the Group of Seven and a travelogue for our spectacular Canadian wilderness. . . . I would like to raise my glass to Jim and Sue Waddington for their dogged determination, their beautiful photographs and their passion for both the Group of Seven and Canada's native landscapes."

<i>Newsletter of the North American Native Plant Society</i>

"Fans will drool over the stunning comparions of paintings with photos of the real-life counterparts."

<i>Canadian Living</i>