Euphemia McNaught Drawing Book pt.5 – The Permanent Collection

Euphemia ‘Betty’ McNaught (1901 – 2002) is one of the Peace Region’s most celebrated artists. In the 1920’s she attended Ontario College of Art, studying under Canada’s famed Group of Seven members Arthur Lismer and James Edward MacDonald. She returned to the region permanently a few years after her graduation.

McNaught is nationally recognized for recontextualizing the Group of Seven’s style into her own, and for immortalizing the nuances of North Western Canada. Through her expert use of bold but natural colours, eye catching brush strokes, and layering, McNaught was also an artist whose personal style shot through whatever medium she used. Her paintings and drawings helped shape the voice of the Peace Region, and we honour her now as a pillar of inspiration for the artists who reside within our community.

McNaught’s sketchbooks, prints and paintings have been held in the Gallery’s Permanent Collection for many years. To increase our efforts to share, conserve and provide opportunities to create art, we’ve turned her life sketches into a drawing book for all ages!