#2615 "Singleton Sap Running"

#2615 "Singleton Sap Running"
14x18 inches

This is the third in the maple syrup trilogy and there are actually three taps in this painting. I replaced the double tap on the large and old sugar maple to the right with a single, traditional, metal pail tap. That is artistic licence and I am OK with that. The five gallon plastic pails used on most of the trees that were double tapped do not have the nostalgia of the old pails. 

I liked how the shadows of one tree climbed up the trunk of others. I was also very interested in the colours and textures of the old sap pails. They have been used for many years and the numerous dents tell those stories. 

The freezing rain from the previous day and night had left a thick coat of ice on everything. Strong westerly winds with cold advection convinced me that another Singleton Sanctuary Studio day would be nice. It was a great day to stay home (like everyday) and paint in front of the wood stove. 

My good friend Dr. Fred Schueler wrote a terrific and scholarly article about the history of maple syrup making in North America. It is well worth the read at "Did Red Squirrels invent Sugaring?". Fred together with his wife Aleta Karstad, a gifted artist and writer, comprise the Fragile Inheritance Natural History Group. Their efforts to educate and inform are born out boundless curiosity about the natural world. I share their views and try to encourage people and politicians to be better stewards of the earth before it is too late. 

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