The fonds consist predominantly of correspondence, photographs, and educational records from Isabel McLaughlin's late adolescence and adulthood; however, a few letters and educational records are from Isabel's childhood in Oshawa. The collection reflects Isabel's relationship with her family and friends and her involvement in the arts community, both as a patron and as an artist. Isabel's friendship and patronage extended to many well-known Canadian artists, including A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris, Anne Savage, Arthur Lismer, Prudence Heward, Yvonne McKague Housser, and Timothy Findley. Her involvement in arts organizations, such as the Art Students' League, the Canadian Group of Painters, the Haliconian Club, and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, are also reflected in this collection. The fonds consist of the following series: Artistic activities, Cards, Correspondence, Education, Exhibition, Oshawa, Paris, Personal, and Photographs. Also included in this fonds is the sous-fonds of Robert Samuel McLaughlin. This sous-fonds contains material that Isabel had gathered together and seperated from her own records that pertained, or had belonged, to her father, R.S.McLaughlin.
