“The Gathering Place”
© 2020, 22” by 11”, Watercolours
A few years back, I was a vendor at a show in Gravenhurst, Ontario, right in the heart of the Muskokas. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but many Muskokan cottagers consider it an affront if you have the temerity to attend an art show in the Muskokas without any paintings of Muskoka chairs!
I had this in mind when, a few winters back, I was out in my back yard and spotted this scene of three weathered Muskoka chairs gathered around a firepit, everything knee-deep in snow. I opted to leave a large portion of the painting stark white to enhance the lonely feeling of a gathering place waiting for a gathering.
The Gathering Place
Frames
Wherever possible (and it is quite frequently possible), my frames are made with reclaimed wood. I don’t often say no to an offer of a pile of wood that would otherwise be headed for a bonfire. More often than not, I’ve been able to take wood that nobody else wants and turn it into unique frames.
I typically offer three styles of frames: oak, pine, and barnwood, although this may change depending on what happens to come my way (like when I found an old workbench built out of some very rare bird’s-eye spruce). No matter what I work with though, I strive to make sure that my frames are all professionally assembled, and are designed and built to complement the art.