The Out-Side-In
A Tom Thomson Sketching Location
Abstract: Thomson stayed at a cabin known as the Out-Side-In at Achray. Several of his sketches are from there. The following sketches appear to have been painted from the Out-Side-In or from very close by:
View over a Lake, Autumn
Landscape, Algonquin Park
Spring, Canoe Lake
Hills and Swirling Sky
Hills and Swirling Sky (verso)
Hot Summer Moonlight
These two sketches are somewhat similar and may have been painted here:
The Last Snow, Algonquin Park
Landscape with Snow
In the summer of 1916, Tom Thomson worked as a fire ranger out of Achray. He was partnered with Ed Godin. When not out on patrol, they resided in a cabin known as the Out-Side-In. Thomson painted a sign, with that name on it, for the entrance.
(photo by Diana: 2013-06-14 - explore)
The Out-Side-In at Achray in 2013
(photo by Bob: 2013-06-14 - map - explore)
The view from the front porch of the Out-Side-In at Achray in 2013.
Here are several sketches that match the view from the front porch of the Out-Side-In or perhaps from the beach in front. Currently (2015), the view from the front porch is somewhat obstructed by trees that have grown up in the last 100 years and thus our skyline photographs were taken from the beach in front.
View over a Lake, Autumn
This scene was painted from right in front of the Out-Side-In. The pink areas on the far hill are patches of bare granite. These areas are now largely obscured by the current tree cover but are quite findable if you choose to climb the hill (see Climbing the Big Hill across from Achray on Grand Lake - In search of Tom Thomson). This sketch appears to have been done near sunrise, judging by the pink colour and the direction of the light, but there are no details suggesting whether it is spring, summer or fall.
(photo by Bob: 2013-06-14 - map - explore)
Looking Across Grand Lake from the beach in front of the Out-Side-In
Spring, Canoe Lake
In spite of the title, there is little doubt that this sketch depicts the scene from the beach in front of the Out-Side-In, even including the exposed bedrock on the far hill. Note that the exposed bedrock matches that in the sketch View over a Lake, Autumn (above) and can be located in the photo below.
(photo by Bob: 2013-06-14 - map - explore)
Looking Across Grand Lake from the beach in front of the Out-Side-In. This is the same photo that we used in discussing View over a Lake, Autumn (above) but it has been stretched vertically by 50% and then recropped.
Landscape, Algonquin Park
This sketch also appears to be of the big hill across from Achray as seen from the Out-Side-In. The time of day is just after sunset.
Hills and Swirling Sky
While this sketch is dated as 1914, the background hills provide an excellent match to the hills across Grand Lake looking towards Carcajou Bay as seen from the beach out front of the Out-Side-In.
(photo by Bob: 2013-06-14 - map - explore)
Looking towards the mouth of Carcajou Bay from the beach in front of the Out-Side-In. (The mouth of Carcajou Bay is about a third of the way in from the left side of the photo). This photo has been stretched vertically by 35%.
On the basis of the match with the background hills, it is difficult to argue that this sketch is from anywhere other than Achray and thus, was painted in 1916. Furthermore, on the back of this sketch is another small sketch which is of the big hill across the lake from Achray (see Hills and Swirling Sky (verso) below).
Hills and Swirling Sky (verso)
This is the sketch on the reverse side of Hills and Swirling Sky. This is the view across Grand Lake looking towards the big hill from the vicinity of the Out-Side-In. This invalidates the dating of this panel as 1914; Hills and Swirling Sky — both front and back — is from 1916.
It is also interesting to note the greenish cast to the sky in this sketch. This arises in several other sketches and paintings from 1916.
Hot Summer Moonlight
This sketch is purported to have been painted in 1915. However, it provides a reasonable (but not completely convincing) match to the hills on the other side of Grand Lake from near the Out-Side-In.
The next two sketches are similar but do not match as well in detail. If these paintings are indeed at Achray, it would indicate that Thomson was there before ice-out. Since this is before Thomson resided in the Out-Side-In, the location along the shore might be somewhat different.
The Last Snow, Algonquin Park
Perhaps the big hill across from Achray ... ? The ice is still on the lake but beginning to break up.
(photo by Bob McElroy: 2011-04-22 - map - explore)
The big hill as seen from Achray.
Landscape with Snow
Maybe - maybe not. Not enough detail to be sure. The lake is still ice-covered in the distance, but there is open water near shore, as would be the case in the spring.
Landscape with Snow was painted back-to-back on the same panel as Northern Mist. Northern Mist could be of Grand Lake but it is too generic to tell. However, if we accept one as being from Grand Lake, the other probably is as well.
Northern Mist
Joan Murray's Tom Thomson Chronology for 1916 has Thomson visiting Huntsville in early March, then sketching and fishing with Lawren Harris, Lawren's cousin Chester Harris and Dr. MacCallum (Thomson's patron) at (Little) Cauchon Lake in late April/early May, and starting his fire ranging job in late May. We suspect that for at least some of the time between mid March and late April, Thomson was at Achray. In addition to The Last Snow, Algonquin Park and Landscape with Snow, (above) Thomson's presence at Achray early in the season is supported by the sketch, In Petawawa Gorges, Spring with a pencilled note on back, attributed to MacCallum: Ice still present toward middle of April. Painted near mouth of Petawawa from Achray, Grand Lake
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In Petawawa Gorges, Spring