Looking for the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

There is so much beauty right at our doorstep, we just have to take the time to look, hence the title Looking for the Extraordinary in the Ordinary  I painted this oil over another painting that I wasn't quite happy with, although it portrays the same lake that I spent many wonderful times at with family and friends.  I have spoken before of how it is one of the two "True Blue Lakes" left in the world today.  Rumour has it that Bill Gates dropped down in his Lear jet at the airport beside Clearwater Lake and hired a guide to spend the afternoon out on the water, reading a book will some of the biggest lake trout around swam around beneath the boat! A number of years ago I watched a CBC documentary by Pamela Wallin where she interviewed Bill Gates about his Foundation and interest in providing a computer in every public library in North America.  I convinced the local librarian to contact the Foundation and lo and behold they were given a brand new computer!  Thanks Bill.  He truly is quite a philanthropist.  A number of years ago I painted a much smaller version of this 30 x 36 in. piece.  After watching the National Geographic show "The Big Melt" I am concerned that scenes such as this may soon be a thing of the past, at least for a few thousand years!

Clearwater Lake Revisited

Clearwater Lake, Mb

I was rummaging around in my studio today and came across an unfinished canvas of Clearwater Lake, Mb.  I remember wanting to capture a certain weather effect I had witnessed back there, a windy day with the sun at a low angle lighting up the distant shoreline, but I couldn't quite get my head around it until today.  I think I was into reminiscing about the good times that were had back there with family and friends so it came quite easily to me this time around.  Any one out there remember scenes such as this?

Sundown near Snake Island

Sundown near Snake Island

My friend, Avery Ascher, sent me a photo she had taken of a sunset on Clearwater Lake, looking towards a tiny island called Snake Island.  As some of you may know I was born and raised near this lake and spent many wonderful days and nights at what has been classified as one of only two "True Blue Lakes" in the world.  You'd have to go there to understand what that really means but believe me, it is pristine!  Thanks Avery for sharing this with me, I hope I have painted what you feel as you look out your cabin window towards that supernatural body of water.

Spring Melt

A great day today, the snow is melting fast.  There are road building crews working feverishly to berm up the Little Manitou, hopefully to prevent serious flood damage.  It is almost a loosing battle from my vantage point.  I post this painting of the spring melt at a place called Clearwater Lake, I lived near there for many years and it holds a special place in my make up.  I just returned from North Battleford where I was helping my dear friends Dean and Barb Bauche renovate their bathroom.  They lured me up there with a promise that Dean and I could do some collaborative paintings but that didn't happen because of all the work that had to be done:(  They did treat me to a house concert performance by Valdy which was awesome to say the least!  Last time I saw him was at the Trappers Festival in The Pas, many years ago.  I also had the pleasure of staying with my buddy Ross Nikoforuk and going to a Bruce Cockburn concert in Saskatoon last Sunday.  He played my all time favourite song, "All the Diamonds."  Thanks Bruce, you made my day.

Golden Hour

Scout Camp Point

I am a great fan of that time of the day when the sun is coming up or in the process of setting as such things as colour, value and hue are intensified in an extremely pleasing way.  This painting depicts an old haunt of mine back in The Pas, Mb.  About 25 minutes north of the town is one of the world's most beautiful lakes, seriously!  The water is so clean and clear that it reflects the light in the most amazing way, only one other lake in the world is similar to it.  On this day the sun was setting and lighting up the trees and rocks in an orange glow, very common for that lake.  I'll sit on this painting for awhile and see if it tells me anything.  Critiques are always welcome!