Saturday at Eagle Point Winery... A Blend of Sun and Cloud - Part Two

It was both wonderfully uplifting and exciting to head out into the "back forty" at the Winery with the sun overhead... and smiling. The air was washed freshand clean by the Friday rains... and the colour was rich and intoxicating! I partnered up with my long time plein air painting pal, David Kay from Whitney near Algonquin Park. David and I both share a willingness to explore "off road" sort of speak. That is to say, to search out otherwise hidden and inaccessible subjects. We both enjoy not merely the painting part of plein air painting... but as well, we share a deep reverence for the Natural World and a greater-than-usual interest in looking for unusual natural "treasures like these two small woodland discoveries on this day. One can find many such interesting models of "woodland wisdom"... if one pauses and earnestly looks for them!

A "toe hold" on life..... "Life is complicated... Just do your best"

Fungi... of every shape and colour suddenly poked their heads out of hiding after the rain everywhere on the cool, shaded pine needle-strewn forest floor. Their powerful urge to reach the surface... and light was obvious... as their caps still tabled the leaf loam and mulch of the woodland floor and stony detritus from which they struggled to emerge.  This particular Shaggy Mane "fungi family" caught my eye... and I marvelled at their delicate beauty. Their life spanned less than two days. Unlike many other mushroom species... their spores do not dry out and become dispersed by the wind. Instead, their cups consume themselves into an inky, gelatinous mass which is carried by insect and animal life to other sites to begin new colonies.

Well off the beaten path and west of the bridge location where we first painted, we came across this "perfect subject"... with interesting structure... rich colour... and undisturbed solitude... except for the constant chuckle of the brook as it made its way back into LaRue's Mill Creek. This would be our shared painting place for the morning. Though both paintings were, as is always the case, distinctly different in interpretation... they did share the essence of this wonderful landscape setting. Both winners!

Here is my two hour 14x18 inch canvas... "Simply...Autumn At Its Best"..."fresh" from the field... no need for reworking later. David took his home rather than leave it for exhibition after the event I guess that he feels much the same as I do about the time we spent and the pictures we made ... together! A memorable autumn morning shared with a kindred spirit.... "out there."

Our small group of four painters had spent the entire two days painting at the rear of the estate property, but we had noticed sites of interest... and worth considering at the front, as we travelled into the back country. We decided to move up into these areas in the open meadows and flats to finish up the second day. Here was the site that I chose to settle into.... LaRue's Mill Creek, as it passes gently through the front eastern edge of the Eagle Point property. It's quiet, pastoral quality... juxtaposed with its strong pictorial structure spoke to me strongly. So did the flat ground under my feet... and the warmth of the late sun on my back. A great way to close out a perfect second day of painting!

Here's the resulting 11x14 inch sketch made during two hours... "Autumn Meanders In... at Eagle Point Winery." Quick brushwork and shapes were my focus... not detail and photo-like finish. I left the field... rejuvenated and truly happy that everyone shared my feelings of enjoyment and joy felt that came as a direct result of our being together as a group in this painting adventure. The remainder of the evening... hosted by Eagle Point Operation Manager, Debra Marshall would merely amplify these good feelings and camaraderie!

The "Order of Good Cheer" 

The "Order of Good Cheer" tradition was created and first enjoyed  in New France... now Quebec by the expedition headed by Samuel de Champlain... still considered to be the mythic "Father of New France. It was created by the cartographer-geographer-statesman-soldier solely to combat the malaise... sickness from winter harshness, hardships, hunger and death experienced by these French settler- colonists. What began as a single celebration on November 14th, 1606, developed into a weekly feasting event that even included theatre productions to maintain the high spirits of the suffering inhabitants of the Habitation settlement. There was even an official "Chain of Office" awarded at each celebration which was worn around the neck of the deserving individual chosen to be celebrated.

Harvest Blend Folk...sharing  "Good Cheer" at the Eagle Point Winery tasting room prior to...

A sumptuous harvest feast... totally prepared and served  by Winery Manager and Hostess,Debra Marshall. That piping hot... "down home" harvest stew made from "local flavors" organic beef and fall vegetables... served with homemade buttermilk biscuits and bread and glasses of winery Riesling and Merlot filled the wearied souls and empty stomachs of all ten artists back to the top. It was perhaps the feeling of "plenty and bounty" that I enjoyed at that moment  ... in the glow and warmth of my fellow artists that caused me to reflect back in time to Champlain's first Order of Good Cheer gathering and celebration. Were they not the same... four hundred years apart in time???...

I wonder...

Stay Tuned for... Harvest Blend Finale - Part Three... tomorrow

I feel deeply blessed... and give thanks for the small blessings I have received.

Good Fall Painting to ALL!

Rain and Oils... Don't Mix... Usually! - Part One

As we headed into our anxiously awaited weekend  Eagle Point Winery Paint Out... I poured over the long range weather reports for the Rockport to Kingston corridor each day. By Thursday, it was obvious from the patterns which were predicted to prevail that rain gear would best be included along with painting gear for the weekend. The possibility of Rain... the dread of all fervent outdoor painters was clearly
to be around for a good part of the weekend. Rain and snow both completely derail and severely impede the outdoor painting process... no matter the medium of choice. Both forms of precipitation prevent proper adhesion, or mixing of the paint on the painting surface. Even an umbrella fails to eliminate the sneaky wind from doing its dirty tricks. Rain and oil simply... don't mix!

Friday,October 4th

We all arrived on site at 8:30 am ... primed and ready to paint. I led the "Group of Ten" around the winery estate to familiarize the group with their painting options... especially those wonderful hidden landscape features at the back of the 850 acres that would difficult for them to find on their own. By 9:30 am, all ten artists were settled into work at their selected first locations.

I chose a vantage point at a backwater bridge that I felt offered an interesting subject and some cover from the bit of breeze.  I was joined by at least five of the members group. It was calming for me to finally discard my worries (on their behalf) and to settle into my own painting. As a co-organizer for the paint out, I did assume (too large) a feeling of responsibility for their success in this adventure. This is a residual conflict for me... held over from my teaching life... when I felt responsible for the success and comfort of each of my charges. While this type of caring is entirely admirable... I will readily admit that it is also unrealistic and unnecessary... when dealing with adults.

Here is motif number one. The sky and water reflect... the preordained likelihood of rain. No one even complained. All set to work as I did... full of hope... a feeling of promise and with good humour. Wise cracking could be overheard being passed around. The spirits of intrepid plein air enthusiasts are difficult to dampen! I steadily moved through lay in... and was almost totally unaware of the first big rain drops that splashed down upon my oily palette. The "Flow" does have that ability to (almost) nullify or transcend reality when one is under its guile! Not for long though. It was obvious that the only safe strategy was to close the lid on my box... place the canvas in a dry place... and to retreat to dry cover under the densely wooded trail.  I was joined there by a couple of friends who shared my belief that painting in the rain and getting one's self wet is not the route to follow. Others persisted with their umbrellas up.... Choice!

 Two hard core beavers at work... under their "brollies" oblivious to the deluge around them... for a while!

"Rain Check"... on my 14x18 inch canvas. Lots of under painting tone to be dealt with yet!

 Here is my near initial lay in placed under the dry, welcome outstretched arms of a dense white pine... where we both awaited and hoped for a let up of the heavy rain. After a half hour... it became obvious that the rain would not let go its grip for quite a while. So, a small  group agreed to follow me over the bridge and down into a heavily wooded area that I had scouted earlier in the week alongside the LaRue's Creek. I knew that the dense overhead mixed hardwood and fir canopy would supply ample cover for all of us to work... no matter the rain. We easily found a second place to continue painting... in spite of the continuing rain. Advanced planning is everything! In my own experience... so is common sense. Being wet when painting ... soon comes being cold to the bone and will soon defeat even the most ardent enthusiast.

Here is the site that three of us shared to begin a second go at it. We were covered overhead enough to allow a successful and comfortable start. The photo here does indeed indicate continuing low light... but the structure and potential to use colour were present in the setting, so we hunkered down and got into action immediately. There was plenty of space for each of us to set up with an unobstructed view. It wasn't long until the wise cracking and kidding were again underway... and the veil of grey gloom lifted. That was not just figuratively speaking, as I first intended... but rather factually speaking... as "Mr Golden Sun" rejoined us... driving our painting spirits to an all day high.

Fellow painter..."Bon Vivant"... and hard core Conservative, Jerry Albert from Baltimore, Ontario .... hard at it on his vertical take on the scene. Jovial banter is a great "medium"... when added to paint to get into the Flow!

                                                                             SOLD

My second effort was one of those rarities... whereby the brush seems almost to have its own will and the painting.... "paints itself." Midway through the lay in... the sun did indeed manage to push its way across my subject's foreground... and I was at just the right place in my painting process to simply dash it in as it appeared. It was quite easy to re-adjust and ramp up colour values to balance out the inclusion of the newly arrived light and BLUE sky! I was greatly encouraged with the final outcome of this wee 10x12 inch canvas. It will not receive a further brushstroke!

My long time plein air pal, Frank Edwards... aka Loner... "Me" ... Tonto! Right where he usual is... directly behind his trusty scout and sidekick... busy at his own version of the same subject. Note in front of him... my first canvas... from the bridge site... on the easel... ready to get into!

I had laid out the rain-soaked canvas out in the sun while I finished the actual scene and it dried up the surface of the canvas so I could work back into the canvas once again. I decided... as I often do to proceed without the use of any actual references... whether direct or digital. The initial experience was so fresh and my motivation so high, that I decided to "wing it"... and to use only my memory to fill in the necessary detail to complete the painting. "Imagineering" is a powerful tool to develop and use... whether in the studio or outdoors. Taking what is actually there to form an initial impression... and then infusing with that a dose of imagination in an intuitive response usually heightens the sense of ownership and increases the richness of colour and mood. You be the judge... if I succeeded! Go back to picture number one... the actual digital reference and compare with the final rendering as shown below.

"Fall Meanders in on LaRue's Mill Creek" - oil on canvas 14x18 inches

Thus ended a highly enjoyable and successful first day of painting at Eagle Point Winery. Despite periods of grey and gloom and setbacks... all of us persevered and came out ahead of the weatherman and his inflicted miseries. My own personal mantra of...  "Don't give up the ship!"... applies very aptly in this situation for everyone involved. We remained buoyant in spirit... and kept paddling... or perhaps better... "puddling" to save the day! It was great to return to Rockport and to share the marvellous roasted chicken dinner that Deb prepared for our four weekend guests... and to share time and stories about our day together!

Life has indeed continued to be a blessing... and I am deeply grateful!

Stay tuned for Part Two - Sunny Saturday's Painting Adventure!

Embroidery... as an Act of Painting

When you are perplexed by your painting... Play! Joy and freedom can often combine to lift your painting to new heights.

The juxtoposition of the two terms in this post title might seem unwarranted... even ill-considered. But let me put forward further thoughts to stitch the two together, so that they make better sense. I would offer that both are indeed creative art forms... though they are different mediums. Both use colour applied in short, but considered stitches, or strokes that are applied to a blank, neutral and often white ground... both being cloth of a sort. The goal in each process is to either adhere to... or to create a pattern or composition... usually sketched or pre-printed on the cloth ground. While both are most often viewed with a pictorial intent... each can be used to decorate three dimensional surfaces and functional objects... to include costumes and clothing. It can be decidedly agreed that the two terms share many commonalities.

However, the underlying reason for my choice of the terms to introduce the post lies much deeper than what has been stated in the opening paragraph. In order to further my thoughts and my underlying reason for using them... I would like to shift away from the grammatical use of the two terms as nouns. I would like to use their verb form as my focus for the remainder of the post... for within this framework arises an important and necessary consideration in referring to every artist's development. To paint then means to cover with colour... an expected answer... BUT... to embroider infers to decorate fictiously, or to embellish. Here is the main thrust of my post this morning.

As beginning artists, all of us are naturally tied to... and are dependent heavily upon the image or scene that lies before us. This does not change, neither when we are painting en plein air, in our studios... nor when we choose landscape or still life motifs or themes. The fact remains that we remain slaves to that which visually stimulates us to paint. Further to these limitations... many times we use photographic reference too directly as a tool to make paintings. Rather than creating in its truest sense... we are rather copying, or trying to lay down or reproduce as accurate an impression as our eyes and painting proficiency will allow. The danger in this mind set, is that we are (virtually) unable "to see the forest for the trees" and truly deprive ourselves of the truest opportunity to Create... which translates bringing forward into being in an imaginative or inventive fashion.

Let me make it clear... that I am not at all exempt from the compulsion to "copy" rather than  to "create." But I do recognize more quickly when I am slipping into that old mode and I have devised strategies that I use to discourage such sliding back into old and unproductive habits. Many accomplished and respected artists prefer to paint exactly what is front of them. They have developed a fully creative and painterly approach that allows them to paint effectively and accurately reconstructing and translating the scene before them. It is then about choice.

In my latest large canvas "River Magic", I have approached painting it slowly and thoughtfully. A canvas 48x36 inches demands initial planning to even step up to it to paint. My subject attracted my attention and interest immediately. But I wrestled with which season I wanted to paint it in... and which elements I would use in my final composition. I took digital references in all three seasons and after deciding that autumn would prevail... I added some quick ink on paper notan sketches to my study. I then developed a more fully developed concept from these in the form of a more refined ink rendering to establish darks and lights.

Notan sketches in ink to work out compositional possibilities and masses. Note the date of Feb 26th, 2013 on the lower left notan sketch. Her one can see the value of a sketchbook. The "Idea" is born... and not lost... left to distill in the mind until one is ready to come back to the idea to push forward with painting.

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Here are the two reference side by side on the easel... ready to support my start on the painting. Even at this critical point in the painting process... details mean nothing and can be altered as my thinking shifts around.

I have more or less followed the basic structure or composition of the two references, but you can see that my interest in adherence to specific detail has already "left the room." A searching for, rather than following a set direction is underway... right from the onset. The white conte line on the black toned canvas in itself is a reversal of the ink on paper rendering.

Here... I am into the layin part of the process... with attention to sky and middle ground and with absolutely no inclination to deal with the foregound area of the painting where I might shift away from big brush painting and deal with the rocks in a too focussed on actual detail approach. I have reached about a half hour point in the painting process at this moment.

This photo reveals a downward movement working outand exploring with actual rock shapes and texture. I have also directed my attention to defining texture and colour in the white pine trunks. Still no finalized decision-making in any area of the painting! Working over the entire surface to totally cover the black underpainting.

Here the layin is rapidly completed by scumbling colour thinly to give tanbible... yet unfinished form to the foreground. The ferns enter the composition from my immediate right of our driveway. They give a better visual feel than the existing rocks slipping down heavily and out of the picture plane. Besides that... there were ferns at the original site... just not where I needed them.

Here is the finished painting. The last half hour was spent balancing values, edges and textures. I will set it aside overnight and then return to it tomorrow... with a fresh eye... open to changing passages if necessary. I do feel an overall sense of accomplishment though. The final outcome... if you compare it to the original sketches and photo reference is vastly different in a number of areas. I feel that this final impression captures the universality of landscape structure in the Thousand Islands. 

This setting could well be felt to exist on most any one of them... and none in particular. My intent was to capture and "embroider" a piece of that "River Magic"... that one can enjoy everywhere in this wonderful part of the world. It better reflects the sense of harmony and joy that I constantly feel here... rather that a laying down of a single accurate view of one particular place.

Do you feel that magic?.... Get back to me!

"River Magic" - oil on gallery wrapped canvas 48x36 inches

Good Fall Painting!... to ALL!!!

A Harvest Blend... Celebrating the Summer's Bounty

Early this summer, I was approached by manager Debra Marshall of Eagle Point Winery to consider joining forces with her to create an event that joined plein air painting with the fall harvest activities in the vineyard. This newly emerging vineyard is located in a pastoral farmland setting just eight kilometers north of Rockport,... far away from the summer tourist din of  Rockport. While I enjoy (and am dependent upon) the bustle and action of the hordes of tourists visiting our small village and the constant view of the River.... it is refreshing as well to retreat at times for a brief few hours to think... and of course paint.

It took all of one moment to respond to her request... since I had walked the grounds of the vineyard and well knew of the variety of landscape subjects that were available to paint on the 300+ acres owned by the winery. A road could easily carry painters to the very back of the acreage to visit creeks, rocky, wooded and more remote painting sanctuaries and to the large beaver dam which sprawled across the main creek that slowly meanders throughout the entire parcel of land.

My answer was immediate, so Debra and I needed only to sit down together to share ideas to create this event. We first decided that the event be held on the weekend of October 4th-6th... to avoid conflicting with our Canadian Thanksgiving Day celebrations on the next weekend. It was agreed, that because of my contact with the plein air scene, I would be be responsible for the selection of invited artists. I would also assist with constructing the weekend itinerary and creating advertising materials such as a poster/flyer and a media release. The winery would handle all of the media contact and actual physical details surrounding the public hosting and artist entertainment.

Here is a preliminary special "tasting" ...  "Harvest Blend" of Fine Art and Fine Wines that we will be offering at this unique Thousand Islands regional event.

On Friday and Saturday, the participating artists will enjoy the privacy of the entire The Eagle Point Winery grounds and facilities. At the conclusion of the actual painting part of the event Debra has generously offered to "wine-and-dine" the attending artists in true "harvest style"... informally from the kitchen table in the original farm house located on the property.

On Sunday, October 6th, the entire body of  plein air paintings created during the previous two days will be exhibited at the Sunday Reception and Exhibition... open to the general public from 1: 00-5:00 pm. This event will combine wine tasting with mingling opportunities between the public and the artists present. It is hoped that this unique blend will forge a stronger public relationship and understanding of the art of wine making and the creation of paintings made ... en plein air. It is hoped as well... that perhaps its success might lead to it becoming an annual event at the Eagle Point Winery.

This is a view of the main winery building down some through some of the vines... offering visitors a view of what lies in the acreage deeper on the property.

"Hanging On" - oil on panel 24x20 inches

This is another plein air painting that I made a week ago along the creek at the back of the property. Lots of exciting landscapes to paint ... as well as the opportunities at the actual winery site.

The Fall Equinox has arrived... the die cast. Autumn no longer waits on the wings. Rich autumn colour has bled slowly... but now more prominently into the fast-fading summer green of the landscape everywhere in our area. Though this season is too short, it provides some of the most exciting painting opportunities for the plein air painter.

I will be using the time between now and the winery event to play with my new palette of colour... in readiness for the fast-approaching weekend "Harvest Blend paint Out."

If you happen to be within our region, why not plan to drop by taste some fine Eagle Point wines... and at the same time taste the visual harvest of our ten plein air painting friends! Come join us! If you are unable to do so.... stay tuned....

I'll keep you... "posted!"

Happy Fall Painting ... All !!!

Autumn... On the Gallop!

The 3rd Annual Plein Air Paint Out in Rockport is now History! Even the cold and damp weather on Friday... did little to dispel the festive mood of anticipation, or the painting spirits of the more than twenty artists who came to Rockport this past weekend to paint on... and beside this marvellously beautiful St Lawrence River.

Friday, September13th

After a breakfast of pancakes and sausages, I toured a group of ten very ardent fellow painters aboard the Rockport Cruise Line's Chief Shingwauk to Boldt Castle, located on Heart Island in New York State. There... we spent the complete day painting at that world-famous tourist destination. Needless to say... there were fewer touristas on the island... so we artists were kings and queens of the Castle for a day!

My long time painting pal, Frank Edwards and I wasted neither valuable painting time, nor energy searching out a painting site. We set up immediately... out of that nasty wind and painted the power house from a very picturesque vantage point. I had eyed up/scouted out... on my two earlier visits to the castle this summer. I had chosen a rather largish canvas format of 30x24 inches for the day, so I had a lot to deal with... in a very short period of time. I was pleased with the result however. It required only minimal work back at the studio to the bottom foreground area to close it out on Sunday morning before the exhibition.

In the evening, all of our group gathered for a social hour and sumptuous dinner at The Boat House Restaurant... once the site for the the first business in Rockport, The Cornwall General Store. This relic and architectural jewel of Rockport, was established in the 1840's by Charles Cornwall, a US citizen from upstate New York. His brother had a stone general store... still up and running directly south of Rockport in Alexandria Bay, NY. Our after dinner speaker, Brian Phillips shared an interesting historical power point presentation based upon the Cornwall heritage in Rockport to close out the day's activities. My bed sure felt comfy... and sleep came easily - a fitting end to a highly productive and thoroughly enjoyable day with my ol' sidekick Frank!

This view shows the bow of the Chief Shingwauk in the fore... and the Boat House Restaurant and Inn directly behind

Saturday, September 14th

All artists were required to paint within the village to offer the invited public to visit the village, to watch the plein air painters fully in action and to visit local businesses and eating establishments. In many cases, this was their introduction to Rockport and to the plein air movement. Everywhere one went... one could feel and hear the connection that folks were making with artists and many permanent village residents... who had generously opened their properties to artists and the public for the weekend. Win-win ... for everyone involved!

After the full day of painting... artists, their guests and interested public observers met on the dock at The Rockport Cruise Line and boarded the Ida III for a complimentary one hour Sunset Cruise into the Islands... courtesy of The Rockport Cruise Line in generous support of our weekend adventure. Mother Nature... put on her best dress and bathed us with the beauty and light so characteristic of Autumn in The Thousand Islands region. All aboard were smitten with the golden ambiance of this initial entry of Fall into the region. Plenty of  "oohs and ahs"... and a barrage of steady camera clicks filled the cool night air. It was a wonderful end to another days together... "out there"!

Here are some pre dinner visual "hors d' hoeuvres" we enjoyed...  leading up to another evening get together at The Cornwall Pub and Grill

The Boldt Castle Power House and bridge... "at ease" after a hectic day

The Castle Dock and Facade

The Triumphal Arch and Children's Play House...

Sunken Rock Light ... guarding the treacherously narrow International Seaway Shipping Channel

The "Skull and Crossbones Secret Society " Fraternity summer house on Deer Island. George W. Bush was a member. Wonder if he ever partied here with the other many "Yalies" who have visited and stayed on the island over the years?

Two magnificent summer houses located on world famous "Millionaire's Row" west of A-Bay!

A modern replica of the gaiety and High Victorian grandeur of "The Golden Age" in The Thousand Islands

After filling our bellies with "whatever we pleased"... our artistic spirits were satiated and uplifted by a wonderful water colour demo by my new painting friend, Paul Taylor, who hails from Henrietta, NY.... a suburb of nearby Rochester. The presentation not only enriched the thoughts and imaginations of the water colourists present... but for everyone else too who enjoyed watching this creative individual sharing his passion and his skills. Thank you Paul... for your presence and your contributions to the success of our Rockport Paint Out!

Paul... on location at Fish Rock painting the tug work boat Ishpeming

Another maritime theme... from "the other side" of the River... subject for his evening demo piece

The demo at closing... structure there... can be finished at any time

Sunday, September 15th

The sun continued to shine... and spirits ran on "high beam" as well. Artists finished up some of their works while others chose to add another small one before the noon deadline for submission of works to the Patio Deck Restaurant location for the final public Reception and Exhibition scheduled for 1:00 pm.

The event was formally opened by Chair Person Wendy Merkley... assisted by Township Mayor Frank Kinsella who passed out the Awards to the winners. Since our event is deemed an "artist-friendly" event... all awards were based upon "People's Choice" principle, and were decided by public voting.

Surprise!... Surprise! The Grand winner was.... Paul Taylor for his acrylic painting "Ishpeming" shown below! Congrats Paul!.... Well deserved!

 
A sunny... sparkling... loose portrait of Ishpeming (Thundering Waters)... a plein air  Gem!

I will close out my post issuing my thanks to all of my fellow friends and committee members for their hard work... to Kathleen Allen, President of The Rockport Cruise Line and all of her staff for their friendliness and generous contributions to the success of The 3rd Annual Rockport Plein Air Paint Out. Thank you all! Thank you to the Rockport Development Group non-artist members, who  generously offered their time and energy to the event's success! Thank you too... to Frank for joining me this year! What a blast to be "side-by-each" again!

I will add one sentence ... borrowed from Paul Taylor's web page. It is a quote he feels and obviously adheres to strongly in his own work. I deeply believe this mantra to be true as well. It derives from Edgar Whitney, a revered and charismatic American water colourist... now deceased:

"[A] Painting must be a love affair - you cannot paint half-heartedly."

No one that I watched did less than that during this painting adventure! Thanks for participating all!  See you  next year... I hope!

Good (Plein Air) Painting!... to All!

PS Despite my responsibilities... I managed to complete two nice paintings 

Time ... at a Stand Still... on Heart Island - oil on canvas 30x24 inches

The Loner and Tonto... reunited... en plein air

Ishpeming... At the Ready - oil on canvas 24x20 inches

When Autumn Blushes...

On location in the village of Rockport... Grout's Garden


When the allure of Summer suddenly fades... and Autumn first blushes, the heart of the plein air painter palpitates with the same sense of excitement and anticipation as the geese clans... now rafting into larger gatherings all along the St Lawrence River. They all gather... adults and young for the last stage of their preparation to migrate southward to far off and warmer wintering places.For the young, newly born here on the shores of the St Lawrence... they have never seen these places. Their "honked up" frenzy of excitement is orchestrated by their elders... who better understand the ardour and grave danger of the long trek lying before them. Constant communication is an absolute... as they fly at great height in formation over cornfields and marshes studded with gun-toting hunters hidden in well camouflaged blinds... decoys laid out... ready to spring into action when unwary young drop too low... too prematurely due to fatigue, hunger and rest.

In my mind, each year.. I wonder. Do the geese understand or have a concept of "Home"... such as mine? Is that the driving force? John Keats wondered too:

"I do not know where the geese go when they leave the River in fall, or what they do when they are wherever they are in winter, or which of their residences seems more real, or more like home to them, or if they have a home at all, or if they feel generally at home in all the world."

But John Keats and I both felt and understood that our shared sense of "Home" was always embedded here amongst this archipelago of Thousand Islands... and that sense of "Home" and belonging never ceases to fuel our imaginations or sense of creativity- he in words... and mine in my paintings. This Truth is recorded on the inside cover of the hard cover edition that I was given by the Keats family. It is not at all a shiny, new edition... but rather appropriately a "recycled" copy... a copy stamped WORN, SOILED,OBSOLETE-  WITHDRAWN from the San Joachim Valley Library System. It had been discovered... rescued and was redirected into my grateful hands by Peter Frost, Grandson of John Keats and his "Gal Friday"/ Soul Mate Kelsey Boesch on the West Coast of the USA.

The inside cover reads as follows:
This copy of this book "Of Time and an Island" is for Bruce Sherman- a fellow river rat who understands as we do that "as soon as we return to the river, we feel as if we had never been away."Our father has written the book and you Bruce, have captured the meaning in paint."

Vicky (Keats) Frost
Magsy (Keats) June
Chris Keats

This book and its inscription mean the world to "Me." No monetary or art award, or jury's appraisal satisfies me more than this mouthful of words. The Universe knitted or lives and souls together in one single meeting... and it shall keep us so over our life times. That is the way of the River. Once bitten... River blood runs in your veins and you are instantly related to all inhabitants along its shores. All of us feel that communal sense of "Home"

The weekend following this one... a migration of another sort will descend upon the rustic and beautiful village we live in. The 3rd Annual Rockport Plein Air Paint Out is being staged by our Rockport Development Group in support of plein air enthusiasts who are interested in coming into the Thousand Islands region to paint and share fellowship.

This year, we have lined up some new and exciting features for this year's event to include an opportunity on Friday to travel to by cruise vessel... and  paint on the grounds of the crown jewel of the Thousand Islands.... the world-famous Boldt Castle, located on Heat Island, NY. Water taxi trips to three other beautiful island sites are also offered on Friday. On the Saturday evening, The Rockport Cruise Lines is offering all artists a one hour complimentary sunset tour of the islands. Following the cruise there will be an evening dinner and a water colour painting demo by respected Rochester, NY river artist, Paul A. Taylor. Could you fit it in?... I'd be happy to help you with making it happen.

Registration is FREE!... and can be done totally on line as shown in the brochure that I have posted here! This event is an inexpensive, artist-friendly event, filled with painting adventure and above all,  great fellowship... food and an opportunity for an unforgettable adventure in a world class UNESCO Heritage location. Check us out at our web site!

Good Fall Painting... to ALL!!! 

Below are but a few of the sites that are available for you to see... visit and paint !

On Pine Island... "The Head"... writing sanctuary for John Keats

The Cornwall Lane and Pub... great food.... drink... and painting material all about its grounds

The Gananoque Boat Line vessel passing by "The Head" under the white pines on Pine Island

Cruising thru' the island archipelago... a new adventure around every corner! Cameras... a MUST!!!

 Benson's Rift cottage... one of a myriad of summer places tucked away quietly along the cruise route

 First sight of Boldt's Castle, Heart Island, NY... Time stands still and the splendour holds one breathless here... no matter how many times you have seen it!

The Power Station on Heart Island... a play place for a child's imagination !