Lismer emigrated from Sheffield, England in 1911 and gained employment at the Toronto commercial design firm, Grip Ltd., where he met other future members of the Group. In the years preceding 1920, Lismer joined the other artists, including Tom Thomson, on numerous sketching trips to Algonquin Park, Georgian Bay, Algoma and Lake Superior in northern Ontario.
Although he continued to paint throughout his lifetime, Arthur Lismer had a strong commitment to teaching. While working at the Art Gallery of Toronto (now the Art Gallery of Ontario) and later at the Art Association of Montreal (now the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) he established one of the most successful children's art programs in North America. In 1936 he was invited to set up school programs in South Africa. Lismer was an active promoter of the Group of Seven and the author of many articles on Canadian art.
"Art," he felt "is the common denominator of union between men more than race, creed, history or personality. Art binds us together more than any other human activity in life."
This biography on Arthur Lismer is from the McMichael Art Gallery`s website.
