Spring Sky, Mer Bleue

A chilly spring day. The ice had just gone. Every now and then the wind would come across the bog. The effect was of an industrial scale air conditioner set on arctic, which was perhaps appropriate for this northern boreal landscape. To say its been around for a while is an understatement although compared to our puny life span, much of everything natural is (unless we’ve had a chance to mess it up which we are hell bent doing). According to the NCC, its roughly 7,700 years old and unique this far south. 

Looking east I was struck by and tried to capture the expansiveness, calm and freshness ready for a new growing season. The wind picked up bringing an end to the quiet reverie and signalling its time to move on. Have to respect nature.

Acrylic on 16×48 gallery wrap canvas – $850

Trail in the spring woodland, Rockliffe Park

(Date available corrected)
The Ottawa School of Art will be holding an exhibition, featuring landscapes from the Ottawa/Gatineau region, July 3-6 in the Gallery at the Shenkman Arts Centre. 50% of all proceeds will go to supporting the school’s Outreach program.

My piece will be available starting July 3. Come check it out in the flesh and take in all the work on display there as well as the other shows going on at the centre. Arteast has the Rendezvous location right next door and also has the Promenade on the floor below.

Rockliffe Rockeries, the 6.5 acre park on the shores of the Ottawa River, opened in the late 1800s. It is an urban oasis featuring mixed woodland, including pine and cedar (and other tree species I don’t yet recognize). I particularly like the easy to reach quiet places. You can easily imagine you are way back in the woods, far from everything (but always handy close to washrooms and the parking lot).

This piece is based partly on a spot on one of the short trails and partly on my imagination. Well actually, maybe a larger part on my imagination. According to the latest view of perception by neurobiologists, what we think is out there, is a construct of the mind based on sensory inputs (biology) and temperament (psychology) – artistic license finally has an alibi.

Acrylic on 24×24 gallery wrap canvas – $650