Thomson's Thunderhead Canvas Print

I painted this sketch from "Thunderhead" by Tom Thomson in support of an article I had written about the meteorology in Tom's sketch. I don't believe that anyone really understood the true motivation behind this painting before. Quite simply, the sketch is Tom's observation of an EF2 intensity tornado. Tom called his sketches "records" of what he saw. He collected these observations in the same way his relation Dr. William Brodie collected specimens. Dr. William Brodie was a cousin of Tom's dad (Tom's father was also something of a naturalist.), who was 9 years older than Tom's father. Dr. Brodie was one of the finest naturalists of the day. Brodie was director of the Biological Department of what is today the ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM from 1903 until his death in 1909. Tom Thomson collected specimens with Dr. Brodie, who gave him the rudiments of a naturalist's training. From Brodie, Thomson learned how to combine keen and enthusiastic observation of nature with a sense of reverence for it...

I paint outside - nothing between my eyes and the inspiration. That special connectivity gets into the pigments and you quickly realize that we are all stewards of the land, privileged to appreciate its beauty during our lifetime but responsible for leaving the environment better off for the future and all inhabitants... Phil was born and raised along the St. Lawrence of Ontario, Canada and studied at Queens University as a nuclear physicist. A meteorologist for Environment Canada for 35 years, Phil specializes in severe weather and training. Remote sensing is his forte - you might want to see a tornado before you die... but not just before you die! He has farmed, raised bees, written books and articles, lectured and instructed...