June 4, 2026 / Carly Ramsay

FEATURE ON A.J. CASSON

Lake Baptiste, located about ten miles from the town of Bancroft, became a staple destination for Casson in the 1950s. He would rent a small cottage on the lake with a few artist friends and spend a few weeks there starting at the end of September or early October. It also would become common for Casson and wife, Margaret, to plan time in the summer months to visit before his annual fall sketching trips. 1957  was a monumental year in Casson’s career, as he decided to leave Sampson  Matthews, a graphic design company, after 32 years so that he could devote his  full time to painting. One of the first decisions Casson had to make being a  full-time artist was to find representation with an art dealer. In 1958, he  decided on Roberts Gallery, and in March of 1959 Casson would have his first  considerable solo exhibition.