The very first widely recognized traditional art movement in Canada was the Group of Seven. It was founded by Tom Thomson (though he died before the group was officially formed). It consisted exclusively of male artists:
- Franklin Carmichael.
- Lawren Harris
- Y. Jackson.
- Franz Johnston
- Arthur Lismer
- J.E.H. MacDonald
- Frederick Varley
The pictorial focus of the prolific landscape artists was vast landscapes. They skillfully conveyed the beauty of wilderness with its ruggedness and contrasts coming to the forefront of the paintings. In the 1930s, the Society of Canadian Artists, followers of the Group of Seven, was founded. The work of Canadian artist Emily Carr, the first woman to receive national recognition, is associated with the Society.
Loren Harris, moving away from the group’s landscape paintings, has directed his work into the mainstream of abstract art. Harold Town and Jean-Paul Riopelle are well-known abstractionists who were members of the Group of Eleven.