A Roy Thomas Retrospective in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay Art Gallery will show a major retrospective of the late Woodland artist Roy Thomas this summer.

Click here to read more about the artist

More than 80 paintings will be displayed in “Vision Circle: The Art of Roy Thomas – A Retrospective Exhibition,” June 7 to September 9.

Roy Thomas (1949-2004) won critical acclaim as an artist of the Woodland School, an art movement that started in the 1960s. A self-taught artist, he was guided by memories of his grandmother whose stories taught him much about his Ahnisnabae (Ojibwe) culture.

Roy was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, but he continued painting until just days before he died.

Thunder Bay Art Gallery  Director Sharon Godwin says it’s fitting that the gallery commit to “recognizing and documenting the work of this important northwestern Ontario and Canadian artist.” Over the years, the gallery has shown solo and group exhibitions of his work, and the permanent collection contains important pieces by Roy.

“The relationship between Roy and the gallery grew, with each supporting and advising each other,” Sharon says. “So close were the ties with the Roy Thomas family that his widow, Louise, requested that his funeral ceremony be held at the gallery in late 2004. The gallery was honoured to comply.”

Roy lived in Thunder Bay from 1989 until he died. Louise and their twin sons, Randy and Roy, still live in Thunder Bay. Louise owns and operates the Ahnisnabae Art Gallery, which showcases Roy’s work as well as that of other local Aboriginal artists.

Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s comprehensive retrospective of the art of Thunder Bay artist Roy Thomas will wrap up on September 9.

In the evening of September 7, his wife, Louise Thomas, who owns Anshinabae Art Gallery in Thunder Bay, will give a presentation on hisfinal work before his death in 2004.