I love birch trees. I know I’m not alone. Artists have been enchanted by them for over a century. Their shape, texture and colour have a graceful elegance that captivates us regardless of the season. Backlit outside a city house, in a cluster along the roadside or just standing tall in the forest – the birch is the supermodel of trees – slender, beautiful and high maintenance.
This oil on canvas is one of my favourites. Legendary Canadian artist Tom Thomson captured the magic in this timeless painting – In the Northland - 1915
Nature and trees were integral to Tom Thomson’s work. His untimely death in Algonquin Park in 1917, cut short a promising career. Roy MacGregor’s book Northern Light – The Enduring Mystery of Tom Thomson and the Woman Who Loved Him, is a fascinating read.
Lawren Harris, a Group of Seven artist, created Birch Tree in 1916
Another Group of Seven artist, A.J. Casson, created the aptly named landscape, Cool Weather
Modern Day interpretations are equally appealing
B.C. artist Robert Genn’s acrylic painting Hade’s Passage, Lake of the Woods - Mayberry Fine Art
Robert Genn’s oil on canvas, October East Allie Island - Mayberry Fine Art
Louise Richardson’s Early Snow - Canvas Gallery
Rita Vindedzis’ Bright Day from her Birch Series – Art Interiors
Susan Seidman – Silver Birch by Moonlight - Mapleseed Gallery
Stephen Gillberry – Scarlett Dawn, acrylic on canvas - Canvas Gallery
Many lesser known emerging artists also offer their prints on etsy
B.C artist Suzanne McLean - Fall Birches (above) - Dream Gallery
Ontario artist Kailey Hawthorn - Studio K (below) - Fall Birches
Priss Design creates a minimalist silhouette that also makes a striking print
Sometimes it’s a simple interpretation that wins us over. I love the whimsical feel of this painting, which was posted by an Ohio Elementary School Art Teacher, on her clever blog Paintedpaper. This is one of her young student’s creations.
Do you have any favourite paintings of birch trees? I’d love to hear your comments.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
These are beautiful Joyce…I love bark, and have done a bark painting myself…nice to look at things close up once in a while, and the mix of randomness and order in nature, just sings…as Canadians we do have a love for trees, don’t we
Best,
Michelle
Thanks so much for including my Birches in your blog post. There is something about the birch that is so comforting to me. I too love the works of the Group of Seven and they captured birches perfectly.
Thanks Rita. Love your work.
Hi Joyce,
I just found your wonderful blog today! Thank you so much for including my Fall Birches painting. I’m honoured to be included with so many talented Canadian artists.
Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne. Nature has such a universal appeal – you’ve created some beautiful work.
Thanks for the blog including works of Canadian artists. Check oiut Linda Jones, artist. She is a B.C. artist who does wonderful work, including trees. Some wonderful and quirky paintings of the Pondersosa Pine. I first discovered her work in a little restaurant called the Blind Angler in Peachland, B.C.
Thanks Rhonda. Linda does some beautiful work. I appreciate the tip!
http://zarowsky.net/gallery/Birches
a different approach to birches
Nice work. Thanks for sharing it.