Lawren S. Harris

Lawren S. Harris was born in Brantford, Ontario, into a wealthy family, which freed him from the necessity of working to earn a living, and allowed him to concentrate on his art throughout his life. Harris was the main catalyst and leader in the creation of the Group of Seven in 1920, motivated by his belief in the need for a distinctly Canadian art movement. As an artist, he explored all parts of the country ranging from urban scenes in Toronto, to the landscapes of Algonquin Park, Algoma, Lake Superior, the Rocky Mountains and Arctic. In the latter part of his life, his spiritual Theosophical beliefs turned him towards abstraction.