Ragweed at Bob's Point Study 1
Oil on 7x8 Panel
This little study was done last Wed eve. at a lake near Edmonton called South Cooking Lake. There was a lot to process and I was just glad to come away with some colour information. It was a glorious evening with good company and not a mosquito in site due to the dryness. It seems so unlikely as we had snow into the third week of May but as the land was still frozen, it didn't benefit the soil and the area is now in a state of severe drought.
I was curious about the name South Cooking Lake; apparently Cooking Lake has been a stopping place on the Carlton Trail from Winnipeg to Edmonton since the 1880's. Around the turn of the century, the first homesteaders coming to this district used this trail named by the Cree Indians �O-PI-MI-W-SIOO-SAKYAKN� (Place Where We Cook Lake) or Cooking Lake.
Ragweed at Bob's Point Study2
6x8 Oil on (Linen) Panel
We had such fun last week and yet felt it was a lot to take in so we decided to go back to the same place again. I have to keep reminding myself that although this is the second summer we've painted outside, it's probably less than a dozen times in total. I can say that I enjoy it more each time and really that's the important thing.
This weekend we are going to Katie's Crossing to listen to some music and then painting at Elk Island until the sun goes down which will be verrrry late because it's the Solstice. Hopefully it won't make the buffalo edgy.
4 comments:
Knowing the history of the place where you painted these lovely studies conjures up all kinds of images of what once took place at S. Cooking Lake.
It's kind of neat to think about how long the trail has been used by people going back and forth across the prairies isn't it?
How interesting about the area! And these paintings are wonderful. I love the atmosphere you captured in both, and when I enlarged the images, you can really see the fantastic brushwork!
Love your blueberry field painting too! You've been busy!
One thing about living in the west is that we are still a pretty new society. It's easy when you live in a city with all the comforts to forget that it was only a generation ago that people were still homesteading and living in pretty challenging conditions. I'm thrilled you like the brushwork and the blueberry painting. Forgot to say I loved the post with the three paintings on your easel and talk about brushwork!!!
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