Franklin Carmichael

Franklin Carmichael RCA was a Canadian artist and a founding member of the Group of Seven, a renowned collective of Canadian landscape painters. Although he is best known for his watercolour paintings, Carmichael was versatile in his use of various media, including oil paints, charcoal, and other techniques, to capture the natural beauty of Ontario’s landscapes, which he deeply loved. In addition to his work as a painter, he had a successful career as a designer and illustrator, creating promotional materials, advertisements for newspapers and magazines, and designing books. Towards the end of his life, Carmichael transitioned into teaching, taking a position in the Graphic Design and Commercial Art Department at the Ontario College of Art. He was the youngest of the original members of the Group of Seven, and, at times, found himself on the social periphery of the group. Despite this, his artistic contributions were equal in significance to those of his colleagues, and his work reflected a unique expression of his spiritual views. His close friendship with fellow Group of Seven member A.J. Casson, who was the next youngest in the group, is also notable. Carmichael’s legacy remains as a vital figure in the development of Canadian art, both in terms of his landscape work and his role in Canadian design and illustration.