Born in London, England, in 1887, William John Hopkinson briefly studied art there before immigrating to Canada in 1912. Primarily self-taught, he settled in Ontario and began painting in the 1930s, focusing heavily on the landscapes of the Aurora and Haliburton regions. Despite his talent and associations with leading contemporary painters, Hopkinson did not pursue art as a full-time career until the late 1950s, when he was in his late sixties.
Hopkinson was best known for his en plein air oil landscapes, which captured the ruggedness of the Canadian wilderness. He frequently ventured into dense forests to paint directly on panels using palette knives, applying thick layers of oil paint to depict fallen trees, lakes, and dramatic skies. While Ontario was his primary subject, he also painted scenes from his travels to the Canadian East Coast, Alberta, British Columbia, Massachusetts, and a brief return trip to London.
Throughout his career, Hopkinson exhibited with prestigious organizations, including the Royal Canadian Academy, the Ontario Society of Artists, and the Nova Scotia Society of Artists. In 1942, his painting "Town House" was featured at the Ontario Society of Artists' annual spring exhibition. He was also an educator, teaching at the St. Croix School of Art in New Brunswick and various centers in Ontario. His work attracted notable admirers, including the actor Vincent Price, who collected his paintings. Hopkinson was highly active in local art communities, co-founding the Newmarket Art Club, before his death in 1970.
