In 1911, Group of Seven artist J.E.H. MacDonald moved to Thornhill, north of Toronto, acquiring the Victorian-era farmhouse Four Elms, named for the towering trees on the property. It had an orchard and garden and was surrounded by fields, and for the sensitive and poetic MacDonald, it was the perfect rural retreat. For a time, it was a country refuge for other Group artists as well, such as Frederick Varley, Arthur Lismer, Frank Johnston and Franklin Carmichael. In 1929, MacDonald was appointed principal of the Ontario College of Art, but Thornhill remained a sanctuary from his busy teaching life. He kept the property all his life, and passed it on to his son, Thoreau. In Thornhill, MacDonald painted his own lush gardens and the surrounding countryside, such as this fine sketch of open fields. MacDonald expertly captures the delicate haze that envelops the gently rolling land punctuated by trees. The sky is extraordinary - the clearly visible brushwork, which bends and rises, gives the expansive sensation of experiencing the curvature of the earth. MacDonald’s pastel palette of pale pink, green and cream in the firmament perfectly captures the subtle atmospheric effects of the day.