Murals of Tom Thomson's paintings will dress up The Portage Store at Canoe Lake as part of the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery

In July 2009, Canoe Lake hosted artists Gerry Lantaigne of Huntsville and Marc Sorozan of Toronto as they created two murals of paintings by Tom Thomson — "Spring Ice" and "Autumn Foliage" — at The Portage Store [located 14.1 kilometres from the West Gate on Highway 60].

Tom Thomson spent time in Algonquin Park in the early 1900s painting the sights, and he and members of the Group of Seven can be strongly credited in bringing attention to the Canadian wilderness and landscapes.

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The murals at The Portage Store are a part of the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery which is centred in downtown Huntsville, Ontario. Specifically, the two new murals at Canoe Lake are a part of the Outdoor Gallery's Excursion Gallery which includes four other murals that are within an hour's drive of Huntsville.

Not your typical art gallery, the Outdoor Gallery is a collection of almost 50 works of art sprinkled throughout downtown Huntsville and beyond, on the sides of buildings.

The artworks in the Outdoor Gallery are mainly murals replicating the work of Tom Thomson and the original members of the Group of Seven, but also include a bronze statue of Tom Thomson by Brenda Wainmen Goulet [located outside the Algonquin Theatre on the Main Street of Huntsville].

The Outdoor Gallery is run by the Downtown Huntsville Business Improvement Area, who sees the gallery as contributing to the beautification of the downtown, being a source of enjoyment for residents and visitors alike, and aiding in arts and culture education.

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The murals at The Portage Store on Canoe Lake are funded partially by:

Celebrate Ontario