Thorold and the Art World

Its somewhat cliche to refer to "the struggling artist", yet it has been - and remains - a reality that, for many artists, it is a constant struggle to balance a pursuit of their particular craft, with the daily financial demands. To meet these demands, artists often have to conserve and improvise. A case in point; in 1906 the Beaver Manufacturing Co. registered their process for making "beaver board". It was a fiber board building material, formed of wood fiber (originally clean white spruce) compressed into sheets. These sheets could then be used for interior walls and ceilings.

As the business grew, the decision was made to open a beaver board plant in Thorold.

In December of 1911 an office was opened on Front Street, from which to oversee the plant construction. The plant, being built east of the third Welland Canal, just south of where Lock 7 would be located, began operation in the fall of 1912. There product would be shipped all over the world, being used in construction and, as it turns out, in art!

Oil painting artists found that beaver board made a workable substitute for much more expensive and difficult to obtain canvas. As a result, some of the classic paintings of the twentieth century were actually done on beaver board.

American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1930

For example, "American Gothic" produced in 1930 by Grant Wood, Or "White Pine", by A.J. Casson,

White Pine, A. J. Casson, 1957

 a member of the famous Canadian impressionist group of the 1920's the "Group of Seven"