Will Ogilvie Canadian, 1901-1989

Dragonflies, Georgian Bay by Will Ogilvie (1901-1989) is a 14 x 21.5 inch watercolour on paper produced circa 1960 and signed on the bottom right. The piece depicts a swirling storm of dragonflies whirling around a dark black and green background. The dragonflies themselves seem to be scratched into the paper, adding movement to the piece. There is a strong contrast between light and dark which makes the dragonflies jump out of the composition. This energetic piece draws the eye in with its somewhat mysterious quality, forcing viewers deep into the scene.

This piece was displayed at the Women’s Committee of the Art Gallery of Toronto in the early 60’s with an original price of $200.

Ogilvie was a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters and the first Official Canadian War Artist during WWII. He taught at the Ontario College of Art from 1947-1957. His work has been widely collected and exhibited all across Canada.