Lawren Harris, alongside Dr. James MacCallum, an ophthalmologist and notable philanthropist previously mentioned in our essay on Tom Thomson, co-funded the creation of a studio building in Toronto for fellow artists.

This three-story structure featured six double-height studios, each equipped with a cozy, cottage-like living room complete with a fireplace. The walls were lined with canvas, providing a versatile space for creativity.

The Studio rapidly evolved into a vibrant hub for innovative ideas, discussions, and artistic visions. 

Born in the peaceful town of Brantford, Ontario, Harris came from a well-off family involved in harvesting machinery.

This advantageous position allowed him to receive a comprehensive education, studying both in Canada and Berlin.

When Lawren Harris arrived in Berlin in 1904, he encountered a dynamic and organized avant-garde movement known as the Berlin Secession. This group of artists, committed to showcasing realist and regionalist works, was deeply influenced by French Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and the Barbizon School. The Secessionists also presented modern art from other major centers, particularly Munich and Paris, reflecting Germany’s evolving cultural landscape.

Though Harris's background had been rooted in academic traditions, he began to embrace and explore new artistic styles in Berlin. He was introduced to fauvism, expressionism, and symbolism—movements that celebrated bold colors and innovative perspectives, marking a significant shift in his artistic development.

During his time in Berlin, Lawren Harris was influenced by several notable teachers. Fritz von Wille (1860–1941), a regionalist painter, guided him with a focus on local themes and traditions. Adolf Schlabitz (1854–1943), whose work was deeply influenced by Impressionism, introduced Harris to a vibrant, color-focused approach. Additionally, Franz Skarbina (1849–1910) provided a bridge between the traditional salon art and the avant-garde ideas of the Secessionists, offering Harris a diverse artistic perspective.

Returning to Canada had a profound effect on him. Harris began to perceive the continent’s vibrant energy with a fresh perspective, seeing it anew with the insights he had gained from his travels and experiences

At this time, Lawren S. Harris encountered fellow artists who shared his vision and were also exploring their artistic paths. He first met J.E.H. McDonald at his solo exhibition and became acquainted with Tom Thomson, both through the Arts and Letters Club, which had been a cornerstone of Canadian cultural life since its establishment in 1908. Harris later connected with Arthur Lismer, Franklin Carmichael, and Frank H. Johnston.

These artists would eventually become founding members of the Group of Seven, making significant strides in shaping a distinct national art. Initially, Harris supported them by offering a welcoming and affordable workspace.

In 1915, Harris renovated a cottage behind the studio building to create a dedicated space for Tom Thomson. Thomson’s remarkable paintings and dedication to art greatly inspired Harris, motivating him to seek his own direction in the field.

In 1924, Lawren Harris and A.Y. Jackson traveled to Jasper National Park in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. The artwork Harris produced during this trip captures the awe-inspiring grandeur and magnificence of the mountain ranges and peaks. He once shared with a painter friend one of the main reasons he felt such a deep connection to the mountains: 

During this period, Harris encountered Emily Carr, an exceptional painter whose distinctive work was still relatively unknown in eastern Canada. Carr's artistic vision captivated Harris and the other members of the Group of Seven.

Their continued correspondence demonstrated a close bond that persisted until Carr's death in 1945. More importantly, these letters reveal a profound professional and personal connection that grew over years of shared dialogue.

Without Lawren Harris, the Group of Seven would not have come into being. His vision and dedication were the very heart and soul that brought the group to life. As A.Y. Jackson later acknowledged:

During this period, Harris's paintings clearly reflect his admiration for Thomson's work and the influence of French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. His art celebrated the splendor of nature, while also capturing the vibrancy and dynamism of urban scenes with a sense of brightness and intensity.

Yet Harris’s relentless pursuit of creativity, which had already taken him from Europe to Palestine, was rekindled. From 1918 to 1919, he arranged and funded a railway journey to the Algoma region for his friends. Immersed in the pristine beauty of Canada’s landscapes, they found profound inspiration. This transformative experience played a pivotal role in shaping the future of their collective artistic vision, eventually leading to the creation of their iconic Group.

In the autumn of 1921, Lawren Harris visited the shores of Lake Superior, an encounter that deeply stirred his soul and sparked a creative fire within him.

The breathtaking beauty of the landscape left an indelible mark on his imagination, fueling his work with a newfound and enduring inspiration.

Despite his health rapidly declining at the end of the 1950s, Lawren Harris remained active. He organized exhibitions of both
his work and that of others, traveled,
and attended art shows. When he was well enough, he continued to paint, sometimes with the support of his daughter Margaret, who helped him stay upright.

On January 29, 1970, his heart ceased to beat. His ashes are interred on the grounds of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg.

Harris sought balance and precision in his work, favoring simplified lines, flattened brush strokes, and reducing elements to abstract concepts of sky, cloud, water, and land. During this period, his use of color began to evolve significantly. His portrayals of water and sky, rendered in varying shades of white, blue, and gray, are particularly striking in his paintings from these years

In 1949, An Essay On Abstract Painting was submitted to the Journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (Vol. 26), and Lawren Harris expanded on this work in 1954. That year, his book A Disquisition on Abstract Painting was also published. Harris praised abstraction, describing it as a…

Harris, with his boundless sense of adventure, set out on a remarkable journey to the Arctic in 1930. Aboard the Royal Canadian Mounted Police supply ship and icebreaker, the S.S. Beothic, he ventured into the frozen expanse.

During the two-month expedition, he created over 30 oil sketches, each one capturing the profound, timeless stillness of the icy landscape. These works conveyed the majestic and mystic power of nature, evoking a deep sense of awe and reverence.

Despite his profound exploration of the spiritual realm in his abstract paintings, Lawren S. Harris,
a distinguished artist, never ceased to admire the beauty of the earthly world.

Lawren Harris made substantial contributions to the evolution of Canadian painting. After the Group of Seven disbanded, Harris and the remaining members played a crucial role in establishing its successor, the Canadian Group of Painters. In 1941, he founded the Federation of Canadian Artists.

In 1948, Harris became the first living Canadian artist to have a solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of Toronto. In 1969, he was honored with a Medal from the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

In 1970, Harris was designated a National Historic Person, recognized for his "unique and enduring contribution to the history of Canada."

Harris’s exploration carried him to Hanover, New Hampshire in 1934 and Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1938. Ultimately, he found a new home in Vancouver in 1940, where he would settle and further his artistic journey.

This journey occurred at a pivotal moment when Lawren S. Harris was transitioning from his first career as a representational painter to a second one as an abstract artist. From a young age, Harris was deeply intrigued by philosophy and explored religious teachings with philosophical underpinnings. His belief that art exists in the space between the tangible world and the spiritual realm fueled his quest for spiritual truth.

In the mid-1930s, Lawren Harris deliberately shifted his focus to abstract painting, becoming the only member of the Group of Seven to do so. For Harris, abstraction was a means to convey multiple layers of meaning: the natural, the philosophical, and the spiritual. He described abstraction as a "dance of the spirit."

His palette grew more subdued and tranquil, while his use of pyramids and triangles evoked the majesty of mountain peaks and symbolized human aspirations.

Circles and spheres, on the other hand, were seen as references to theosophy and the spirit.