Little Manitou Lake

Little Manitou Lake is claimed to have healing powers. Its waters have a high mineral content, particularly salt, which aids in ridding the body of toxins. I know that the healing powers it gives me happen when I sit down with my portable easel and paint its natural beauty. The crocuses are out in full force now and it is a sight to behold.

Palette Knife Workshop

I am looking forward to the upcoming weekend because I will be giving a workshop on palette knife painting in Langenburg, SK. Langenburg is the home of my friends Jan and Don Layh, Sandra and Jack Hollenburg (they have a group called "Silk and Steel" and are wonderfully talented), Mabel Mund, and numerous other talented artists. Our famous Shellmouth art retreat is only minutes away. It will be exciting to be back for the weekend.

Calm before the Storm

I was happy to discover that I live very close to Canada's oldest Waterfowl sanctuary, at Long Lake, Saskatchewan. I believe it was established even before Confederation which was 1867. Now I know why there are countless birds of all makes and sizes in the area. Nothing heralds spring more in my mind than the sound and sight of our feathered freinds. I have painted a pastel to honour them and their environment. It is called "The Calm before the Storm." Do you know the feeling?

Spring Storms

Woke up the other day to a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. I am old enough to know better, in Canada you can expect any kind of weather at this time of the year. This is a small oil painting to commemorate that early morning snow.

Spring Breakup

Mistik Creek has been one of my favourite haunts for many years. It is a lovely creek that meanders amongst the Pre-cambrian rocks of Northern Manitoba. I have spent many memorable times there with my brother Richard, a wonderful photographer. Check out his site at http://www.richardbaschakphotography.ca for some amazing photos! This watercolour is called Mistik Breakup. Enjoy it this Earth Day! Maybe do something for old Mother Earth today.

Peaceful Morning

What a great time of the year, so much happening all around. I love water and everything that happens in that space and could spend a lifetime painting that motif. Hope you enjoy this picture. It is a watercolour of an area not far from the town of Watrous, SK.

Pain & Suffering

For those out there who enjoy poetry, a poem by Rumi, entitled "That Live In Us."
If you put your hands on this oar with me,
they will harm another, and they will come to find
they hold everything you want.

If you put your hands on this oar with me, they would no longer
lift anything to your
mouth that might wound your precious land-
that sacred earth that is
your body.

If you put your soul against this oar with me,
the power that made the universe will enter your sinew
from a source not outside your limbs, but from a holy realm that lives in us.

Exuberant is existence, time a husk.
When the moment cracks open, ecstasy leaps out and devours space;
love goes mad with the blessings, like my words give.

Why lay yourself on the torture's rack of the past and the future?
The mind that tries to shape tomorrow beyond its capacities
will find no rest.

Be kind to yourself, dear--to our innocent follies.
Forget any sounds or touch you knew that did not help you dance.
You will come to see that all evolves us.

If you put your heart against the earth with me, in serving
every creature, our Beloved will enter you from our sacred realm
and we will be, we will be
so happy.

Its Winter again

We have gone from 16 Celcius to O with wet snow and howling winds, winter is back for awhile. Thought I would post a painting that celebrates the warmer weather we had for a couple of days. It is called "View from the Chapel."

Melancholy

With all the signs of spring around I had this feeling of melancholy as I was saying good bye to the signs of winter the other day. Despite the seemingly long winter we have had I do enjoy the snow, the way light and shadow play across its surfaces and many other characteristics common to the season. Oh well, I will find inspiration in this new season, spring.

Easter

Easter season is upon us. I am happy to be going home to visit my aging parents, haven't been back to see them since before Christmas. Mom is busy making perogies and Easter bread for my brother and I, can't wait to tie into them! Blessings on all of you out there, say a prayer for someone.

Romance

I've got Romance on my mind these days, after all, spring is in the air. The dogs and I observed some magpies and stellar jays making preparations to their nests the other day and it was quite peaceful to just observe their actions. That was a bit of romance in action I suppose. I am attempting to learn a classical guitar piece entitled "Romance", a lovely piece of music. My son is working down in Seattle these days and while thinking of him the other day I remembered this little watercolour I had of the area. It is called Romance.

Sunshine

Spring is in the air for sure. In celebration of that I am posting a painting I did of some sun drenched apples, one of my favourite foods. Been so busy lately that I haven't had much time to paint.

Clearwater Lake

Well it seems like spring is starting to happen. Signs of it are everywhere you look now, melting snow, Canada Geese flying back and forth, robins and blue jays in the trees and that wonderful fresh quality to the air. Love it! I am posting a picture that I painted over a year ago of an absolutely stunning lake called Clearwater Lake. It is in northern Manitoba and is classified as a "true blue lake", one of only 2 in the world! I love it dearly. This view is of a place we call the "Caves", which is actually crevices created by the fractured Dolomite. Hope you enjoy it!