Valley of the Gouffre River 1933

A.Y. Jackson’s "Valley of the Gouffre River" is a painting about the North, painted with oils, presumably on canvas. Jackson’s marks are all about rhythm and flow, capturing the rolling hills of snow with a kind of patterned brushwork. It’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but also the feeling of the land, a real sense of place. Look closely, and you can see how the colors aren’t just white but include yellows, blues, and pinks. These hues create a visual hum, bringing warmth and depth to the cold landscape. There's this one spot near the bottom left, where the snow catches the light just so, and Jackson captures that glint with these quick, confident strokes. You can see the thickness of the paint there, almost sculptural, which adds a kind of playful materiality to the scene. The whole piece makes me think of Lawren Harris, another member of the Group of Seven, but Jackson is a bit more grounded, less mystical. He reminds us that painting is a conversation, an ongoing exchange of seeing and feeling.