#2465 "Chaffey's Homestead Barn"

I was on my way back after having a meeting at the Opinicon with Fiona, the Owner. She wanted to display the art of local artists at the newly renovated Opinicon. I was the first artist and my art was at the Opinicon for 2018. She and her husband would later purchase one of my larger paintings. A few others works also found permanent homes. Thank you all! 

My history with the Opinicon goes back to the early 1960's when I would paddle from Clear Lake for ice cream and watch the boats lock through at historic Chaffey's. It continued when I was dating my wife and then when we had our two children. The Opinicon is a wholesome family place with a long and proud history. We paddled back and forth from Clear Lake and around Scott Island many times. The kids were taught not to rub their paddle shaft along the gunwales. 

Fiona once explained that her vision for the Opinicon was like "Dirty Dancing" ("Nobody puts Baby in a corner") meeting the "Group of Seven". Wow! And she absolutely did it! I was totally on board and more than honoured to have some of my art at the Opinicon. The place was like home to me anyway. My wife and I dine there frequently fifty years later. The Opinicon remains good Canadian family fun. 

I had always liked the looks of this barn and was waiting for the opportunity to tackle it. That chance came with COVID and extreme cold wind chills outside. The Arctic vortex has spun some cold air over eastern Ontario. I have frozen my hands too many times so it was a great few days to paint in the Singleton Studio. 

I wanted to use some larger brushes and bold strokes to capture the feel of the old barn. The details did not interest me and would have distracted from the fun and the feeling of community that this barn represented to me. 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels. Thank you.