Welcome to our Online Collections Database!
The Tom Thomson Art Gallery is committed to being an open landscape for exploring art.
A public art collection in Owen Sound can be traced back to 1927 when the Lyceum Club and Women's Art Association of Owen Sound purchased three paintings from the Estate of Tom Thomson for public enjoyment. With the support of Grey County Historical and Art Society, the Thomson family, dedicated volunteers, staff, and generous donors, the Gallery holdings now include 2600 objects of Canadian art spanning 150 years.
The Gallery houses the fourth-largest collection of Tom Thomson artworks and Thomson-related artifacts, along with works by his contemporaries, including those artists known as the Group of Seven. In addition to these historical works, the Gallery has developed a substantial collection of contemporary Canadian art focusing on the landscape. The Collection currently includes works by more than 500 artists.
Check back often as we continue to add more artworks to the site from the Gallery’s Collection.
Tips for Searching
Keyword Search
The Keyword Search button allows you to perform a general search across multiple fields for any catalog records online. Keyword searches use OR as the default connector between words (e.g. a search for Owen Sound will return records associated with Owen OR Sound). If you want to find records where both keywords are found, type in AND between the two words. To search for a specific phrase, be sure to put the phrase within quotes (e.g. "Owen Sound"). You can also use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard (e.g. a search for histor* would come up with records containing history, histories, historical, etc.). Searches are not case sensitive.
Advanced Search
The Advanced Search button can help you be more specific with your search. You can search for a word or phrase within a particular search category or use multiple categories to further narrow down your search results. For example, searching White in the People field will bring up any records associated with a member of the White family, without having to sift through black & white photographs. You can also search People and Creator records through Advanced Search. Phrase searching with quotes and use of wildcards (*) are available in Advanced Search.
Random Images
The Random Images button is a great way to just browse the collection. Each Random Images page displays a random assortment of images from the records online. If something piques your interest, click the thumbnail to view a larger version of the image.
Catalog Searches (Archives / Photos / Libraries / Objects)
The catalog buttons can also help narrow down your search, by only searching with a selected catalog. If you only want to search for Photos, click the Photos button and type in your keyword(s) or phrase. You can also browse records within that catalog without performing a search. Phrase searching, wildcards (*) as well as AND/OR statements are available when performing catalog searches.