George Arthur (G.A.) Kulmala

(1896 - 1940)

George was born in Pori, Finland, and immigrated with his parents to Toronto in 1904. He studied art under J. W. Beatty at the Ontario College of Art. Working in oils he painted colourful landscapes and snow scenes in Muskoka and Algonquin Park. George hoped to spend all of his time as a professional painter but in order to make a living he worked as a furrier in the Toronto fur garment trade.
        
         George spent many of his summers painting at his summer home in Muskoka, and a few years before his death bought forty acres of land near Lake Rosseau where he had planned to make a retreat for city artists.

      George was a very talented and competent artist who also exhibited with the RCA between 1924 and 1939. He was president of the Toronto Finnish Artist’s Group and a member of the Ontario Society of Artists. One of his paintings was exhibited at Wembley and another was exhibited at the World’s Fair in New York. His paintings can be found in the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario as well as many private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States, and England.
 
George died in 1940 at the age of 44.

Historical Artwork Index