Thomas Keith Roberts’ March in the Maple Woods, c. 1970 reflects the artist’s enduring love of the Canadian landscape. This oil on panel measures 15 x 23 inches. 

Thomas Keith Roberts (1909–1998) was born in Toronto, Ontario, into the family behind the renowned Roberts Gallery, founded by his grandfather Samuel Roberts. Immersed in an artistic environment from an early age, he pursued formal training at Central Technical School under Peter Haworth, Carl Schaefer, and Charles Goldhamer, and later at the Ontario College of Art, where he studied with J.W. Beatty, F.S. Challener, Yvonne McKague Housser, and Fred Haines.

During the Second World War, Roberts served in the Royal Canadian Engineers, producing sketches and watercolours that documented army life. Following the war, he worked as a freelance artist, drawing inspiration from the Group of Seven and French Impressionism. His work is characterized by vivid colour, energetic composition, and a focus on Canadian subjects ranging from Northern Ontario to the Maritime provinces.

A member of the Royal Canadian Academy and the Ontario Society of Artists, Roberts exhibited extensively throughout his career and held over thirty solo exhibitions by the mid-1980s, particularly in Toronto. His paintings often portray nostalgic scenes of Canadian life, including children at play and serene rural landscapes, reflecting both personal memory and national identity.