Becoming a Sunday Afternoon Painter

This gateway to the Far North, Great Whale River is a picturesque coastal town set in the combined regions of the Boreal Forest and the Tundra of the Far North in Quebec.

What better place to paint! So a small group of us from different backgrounds all gathered at my place on Sunday afternoons this past winter to paint in watercolour.

Here you'll meet Helen Moore, Raymond Memiumskum and Melissa Dempsey as we learned about the characteristics of certain colours, tried new brushstrokes and waded through techniques to achieve some exciting results. Our fuel was the will to improve our techniques, and plenty of cups of laughter and tea!

Our results are included in this small sampling. Every Sunday session resulted in a new watercolour for each of us. Bravo, my watercolour friends. I wish you much success in your creative endeavours!

Below: Melissa Demsey; Raymond Memiumskum; Helen Moore
Works by Melissa, Raymond and Helen follow.

Whapmagoostui 1

After spending a winter in this scenic village nestled along the shore of the Great Whale River in Northern Quebec, Nunavut, my paintings have taken on the life here. Here is a sampling of views while walking along the trails in the hillside, looking out on Hudson's Bay and enjoying the spectacular landscape this area offers.

In January 2012, seven brave young men from this Cree community ventured out in the depths of minus 40 degrees and high winds to walk south, first travelling to cross the Great Whale River to Chissasibi and then gathering others who believed in the treaty rights of natives and just this early April they arrived in Ottawa. Theirs is a story that fulfills the Legend of Nishiyuu. They called their long walk the Journey of Nishiyuu, and I have created this commemorative work to celebrate their achievement. No achievement comes without great effort, and theirs will offer them valuable recognition. May their youthful voices be heard.

Detailed information regarding the paintings follows the images. Please comment on the post as I hope you enjoy them.

May their Youthful Voices be Heard
18" x 24"
Encaustic on Board
$475.

First Point
18" x 24
Encaustic on Board
Private Collection of Vera George

Second Point 1
18" x 24
Encaustic on Board
$400.

Second Point Low Tide
18" x 24"
Encaustic on Board
$425.

Hudson's Bay at Great Whale River
$400.

The First Artist of the Week

As you see, Whapmagoostui is my new home and for a time, you will see posts that celebrate the young people of this community. The students I most closely work with have just entered high school and I know one of their favourite subjects is visual arts. One of my joys is to share that love of art with them, and so I will introduce you to the First Artist of the Week, a young First Nations Cree teenager named Beyoncé Fleming-George who was the first to finish her circular design in primary and secondary colours and moved also to be the first to complete her own personal colour wheel. She enjoys being first and is very proud of her accomplishments in visual arts! Bravo, Beyoncé!!

Secondary 1 Students at Badabin School, Whapmagoostui

On August 17, the DC10 Creebec plane landed at the last stop of their run, Whapmagoostui and I was on it heading for a school year at Badabin School. Above is the view from my kitchen window as I looked toward the SW that very first evening of my arrival to see a lovely welcoming rainbow.

Here you see a brand new class of high school students ready to learn English as a Second language, Mathematics, History, Geography, and of course, Art. Here in this blog, I plan to show all of you their visual art experiences, and  my own as I make my way through the winter in this fly-in community on the shoreline of Hudson's Bay and the mouth of the Great Whale River in Quebec.

I am looking forward to their first art project, circle designs in primary and secondary colours, that being my second post next week. Today, let me introduce you to my new class that I am very proud of:
(back row left to right) Nicolas Petagumskum, Destiny-Hope Masty, Casey Kawapit, Marcus Petagumskum, Braedan Wynne, Adam Masty Shem, Wesley George, Miracle Masty, (middle row left to right) Georgia-Lynn Sandy, Chriystal Masty-Snowboy,  Sachakin Masty (front row left to right) Autumn Sandy, Beyoncé Fleming-George

Bringing Artists Together in the Pontiac

On August 8,9 I travelled to Valerie Bridgeman's home near Shawville, PQ where eight talented artists gathered to share the medium of encaustic. Val has a lovely studio that offered enough space for all of us to expand our abilities in this ancient medium that has taken on some very contemporary approaches.

As you will see in these illustrations, there was such a wide range of styles these artists brought to the workshop. Val is an experienced printmaker along with her daughter-in-law, Sarah and they explored subtle use of colour with layers of collage and textures. Carol and her daughter, Danuda came along. Carol Noel, a well known photographer and graphic designer explored an integration of her photography with encaustic. Danuda had some fascinating papers to create some Asian influenced collages. Carolyn came to the workshop with her experience in fused glass to create brightly coloured landscapes. Kay enjoyed taking an existed image and transforming it to new textural effects. Cher delved into relief paintings in encaustic using well composed textures layering and building to create amazing works. Sally used natural objects from the landscape to recreate the mood on wood panel.

Here are some of the works completed in the two days we were together making art. I was very pleased to spend the time in Valerie Bridgeman's beautiful studio bringing the medium to a new group of creative artists that I am sure will develop exciting new techniques of their own in the coming fall season.

Enkostikos I,II Workshop in Shawville, Quebec

I hope your enjoyed the Illuminé Show that was last Thursday, August 2 at Centrepointe Theatre. Many circulated on both levels of the lobby of the theatre, drank wine, chatted with friends, and remarked on the works. Thank you for coming, and if you weren't able, try to make it before August 22.

Next week I'll be heading up to Shawville to lead an encaustic workshop lasting two days at a friend's studio space. The studio is nestled in the large pines so familiar to the Pontiac, and the atmosphere is truly inspiring. The workshop is August 8,9 next week, and there is one space left to fill. If you're interested, please send me a note at headwaterfarms@gmail.com

Illuminé Show at Centrepointe Theatre

This header is one work in a series you will find called 'Old Florida VI' and I am looking forward to seeing YOU at Ben Franklin Place, Centrepointe Theatre, Nepean next Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m. Thiis series is on the main floor while the show extends to the second floor upstairs. There are 37 works in all and represents the past two years in this medium of encaustic.

Stay the evening, enjoy the wine, foods, friends and family who will be there!