Norman Robert Catchpole
Catchpole's Studio
Ignite the Passion
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A tribute to
Franklin Carmichael
1890-1945
"​Renaissance Man"
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A collaborative effort by Catchpole & Shackleton
​$1899.00 Cdn.
​​SOLD​
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Concept and Design: RuthAnn Shackleton-Catchpole
Collage brought to life on canvas by Norman Robert Catchpole
​​​​​​​We chose the title "Renaissance Man" as Franklin Carmichael was not only an accomplished artist, commercial artist and printmaker, but also a talented concert musician who played the cello, bassoon and flute.
Franklin, as the youngest member, remained slightly on the fringe of the Group of Seven due to the age gap between himself and other members. ​​The entire group, but Carmichael in particular, strove to give visual form to spiritual value.​
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We understand Carmichael painted only 1 portrait during his lifetime, a piece entitled "Woman in a Black Hat" in 1939. Just prior to his death in 1945, Carmichael completed his first (and last) abstract entitled "Gambit #1" which created some speculation that he was contemplating a new artistic path.
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Our collage is comprised of 5 individual gallery wrapped canvas (acrylic on canvas of various sizes, 20"x10", 8"x10", 9"x12") , mounted on board and presented in a metal floating frame. The finished piece, including frame, is 30"x36". ​We hope you enjoy this piece as much as we did while developing the concept and bringing it to fruition on canvas.
Collage Key
Click on photos for additional info
20"x10" Acrylic on Canvas Born in Orillia, ON May 4, 1890. Carmichael studied art in Belgium. On his return to Canada he shared studio space on Severn St. in Toronto, with Tom Thomson (the building was financed by Lawren Harris to promote the Canadian Art movement). Other Group of Seven members also had studio space at this locale. From 1932 until his death Carmichael headed the Graphic and Commercial Art Dept. at the Ontario College of Art (OCAD).He died Oct. 24,1945 on his way home from work.
9"x12" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas Scrub Oaks and Maple was previously known as Old Orchard and Apple Orchard. Carmichael’s attention to detail and use of light evoke the crisp, invigorating atmosphere of a Canadian autumn day. This painting was sold at a Cowley Abbott auction on May 28, 2025 in Toronto to an undisclosed private collector.
9"x12" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas Carmichael was drawn to the Lake Superior region and made several trips there, finding it a source of inspiration for his art. The painting is currently held by the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, ON.
8"x10" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas Lake Wabagishik is located west of Sudbury in Northern Ontario. The painting captures the lake during a period of deforestation, a detail that informs its unique historical and environmental context. This painting is part of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Vaughan, ON.
20"x24" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas Carmichael purchased property and built a cabin on Cranberry Lake, making it a favoured spot for his artistic endeavours in the last decade of his life. Cranberry Lake is in the region of the La Cloche Mountains in Ontario's Killarney Provincial Park. Carmichael advocated for the creation of Killarney Provincial Park to protect the area from deforestation from logging threats. In 2024 this artwork was sold at auction for $40,800 (owner unknown).