September, Georgian Bay, circa 1920

Acquired directly from the Artist

Private Collection, Drumheller, Alberta

By descent to a Private Collection, Vancouver

Heffel, auction, Vancouver, 22 May 2008, lot 42

Private Collection, Mississauga

A.Y. Jackson, A Painter's Country, Vancouver/Toronto, 1958, page 25 

Naomi Jackson Groves, A.Y.'s Canada, Toronto/Vancouver, 1968, pages 108, 110 

David P. Silcox, The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, Toronto, 2003, page 214

Georgian Bay was a region A.Y. Jackson would return to regularly throughout his career, the artist referring to the area as his “happy hunting ground.” He enjoyed the opportunity to paddle around islands and explore the web of channels, affording him near-infinite vistas for sketching. Jackson often stayed with Dr. James MacCallum, a friend and patron to members of the Group of Seven, during his forays in the area. MacCallum’s cottage was located on an island (which MacCallum called “West Wind Island”) in Go Home Bay. David Silcox emphasizes the importance of this relationship for Jackson and his fellow artists, as MacCallum’s support and friendship created “an atmosphere of possibility that gave birth to a stunning array of superb works.” 

This painting exemplifies Jackson’s ability to capture the wild, untamed beauty of the Canadian landscape, emphasizing the strength and endurance of nature. The colour palette consists of earthy browns, deep greens, soft purples, and muted blues, creating a harmonious yet dramatic natural scene. The twisted, windswept trees add a sense of dynamism, suggesting the enduring power of nature in the face of the elements. Naomi Jackson Groves confirms that “with the motif of the wind-swept pine on the wave-beaten shore we reach the storm centre of the Group of Seven in its initial years.” At Georgian Bay the stage is continuously set for the “spectacular storms that rattled the bay”, which were “an inspiration to its visiting artists.”