In the fall of 1914 Carmichael took up residence in the Studio Building, eventually sharing space over the winter with Tom Thomson. Thomson had only that year left Rous and Mann to devote his full energies to his art, spending as much of the year as possible in Algonquin Park. Whatever their conservations on art, Carmichael profoundly respected Thomson’s abilities as an outdoorsman and greatly admired Thomson’s painting. For Carmichael, Thomson and the other artists in their circle, life in the wild was an integral part of their visual expression of the landscape, and Thomson’s close relationship with the wilderness deeply impressed Carmichael.

Carmichael sketched on small panels until approximately 1915-16, when he changed to a 10×12 inch format. The sketches from this period range in subject from serene, cloud-free skies to powerful cumulus storm formations. The works record the movement and the colours – the blues, pinks, yellows, and whites – of the atmosphere and landscape around Toronto.