This post includes affiliate links. When you purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For full details, please see our affiliate disclosure page.

When we think of the Group of Seven, we often think of vast landscapes, stoic mountains and calming lake scenes. Most great works of art are in museums in big cities (think of the AGO, The MBAQ, and The ROM). That there is a museum dedicated to these seven painters should not be a surprise, the question often asked is: where is the McMichael gallery and will I find Indigenous Art? It is located in the idyllic small town of Kleinburg just north of Toronto.

Wolves Dempsey Bob at the McMichael retrospective

What is the McMichael Gallery Focused on

The collection was started by Robert and Signe McMichael in 1952 when the couple purchased land in the village of Kleinburg. Moved by the natural environment, the McMichaels began collecting works of art by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, who also drew inspiration from the natural landscape. In 1965, when they offered their home and artwork to the Province of Ontario, their collection comprised 194 paintings.

Indigenous Artists at the McMichael Gallery

🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials

Dempsey Bob believes wherever you live affects the way you are. Bob was part of two nations the Tahltan and Tlingit in Northern British Columbia (just south of Alaska). His family were talented artist (his mother was a beader and made regalia, his great-grandfather was a carver and his great-grandmother was a basket weaver. The Wolf is a creature in his world but also represents the clan.

Surrounded by nature and animals in Terrace, BC. Although it is not his territory (he was born further north), his art reflects what he sees: the ravens, the eagles, and he fishes in the region.

Eagles North Dempsey Bob McMichael Collection — EAGLES NORTH – 2013 – yellow cedar, acrylic pa
National Galery of Canada, Ottawa purchase 2016

Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob – Dec. 10, 2022, to April 16, 2023

Not to be missed at the McMichael is Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob. This first-ever retrospective spans Dempsey Bob’s development from his early days as a student of legendary female carver Freda Diesing to his late career masterworks. This exhibition displays masks, blankets and ceremonial wood carvings from the leading carver of British Columbia’s Northwest Coast, and an immersive experience of the Tahltan and Tlingit mainland cultures.

wolves dempsey bob at the McMichael art collection kleinbury ontario — Wolves: the Art of Dempsey Bob at the McMichael in Kleinburg Ontario

Bob’s carvings blend traditional narratives and iconography with contemporary influences. His exposure to oral histories, songs, and dances from a young age has contributed to his understanding of art and its purpose within community. Equal parts traditionalist and vanguard artist, Bob acknowledges the lineage to which he is indebted, yet he refuses nostalgia. Instead, he boldly reinterprets the traditional characters and iconography from the age-old stories of his people, at times inflecting those traditional tales with influences drawn from world art. Bob’s work urges a re-examination of humankind’s place in the natural world that is both timely and urgently needed.
Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob – McMichael website

McMichael Gallery Dempsey Bob Exhibit blanket — Chief Eagle’s Robe – Design by Dempsey Bob and sewn by Linda Bob

Chief Headress Dempsey Bob McMichael Collection Kleinburg Ontario 1 — Chief’s Headdress – Human – 1993 – Dempsey Bob
alder, ermine fur, melton cloth, abalone shell, acrylic paint
Collection of Eric Savics

Interview of Dempsey Bob and McMichael Curator Sarah Milroy

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

10365 Islington Avenue
Kleinburg, ON, Canada, L0J 1C0
Tel: 905.893.1121 or 1.888.213.1121

OPEN
Tuesday to Sunday & holiday Mondays
10 am to 5 pm*

Holiday Hours
Saturday, December 24, 10 am to 3 pm

CLOSED
Sunday, December 25

OPEN
Monday, December 26, Sunday, January 1, and Monday, January 2

*Note: restaurant hours may vary due to scheduled events.

Grounds, Trails
OPEN DAILY – visit the sculpture gardens

Parking
OPEN DAILY – $7 (free for Members) – for the upkeep of the grounds

Enjoy FREE admission on Family Sundays—the third Sunday of every month.

Note: Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob is a co-production of the Audain Art Museum and McMichael Canadian Art Collection. It is co-curated by McMichael Chief Curator Sarah Milroy and Dr. Curtis Collins, Director and Chief Curator of the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, British Columbia.

🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials

DownshiftingPRO is where seasoned travel wisdom meets authentic adventure for the 50+ traveler hungry for luxury, culture, and meaningful experiences. I’m Margarita —a storyteller, organizer, and passionate explorer who blends solo escapes, trips with my husband, and multi-generational family adventures.

Whether I’m savouring exquisite culinary delights, wandering through world-class museums, connecting with Indigenous cultures, or indulging in luxury stays, I go beyond the surface to bring destinations alive.

As a regular contributor to HotelScoop.com, I spotlight exceptional hotels and resorts that understand the mature traveler’s craving for comfort, style, and culturally rich experiences.

DownshiftingPRO delivers insider tips, travel hacks, and heartfelt stories—seasoned with humour, wanderlust, and the kind of family travel that’s equal parts connection and celebration.

Europe, the US, or Canada, I’ve got your go-to itinerary for travelers who want to explore on their own terms, balancing solo journeys, couple getaways, and lively multi-generational but with cocktails.

I’m always on the lookout for my next adventure.

The question remains: where will we go next?