#1068 "Blue Sky Lake"

#1068 "Blue Sky Lake" 11x14 inches

Art is all about making memories for me... and of course trying to learn and get better. 

Some of my fondest memories were from when I painted with Lawrence Nickle for several plein air sessions before he passed away in January of 2014. Lawrence attended one of my "Tom Thomson Was A Weatherman" presentations with a meteorological co-worker of mine. Our friendship was instantaneous. Full time meteorology, running my apiary, maintaining Watershed Farm and life kept us from painting more together - but we still managed some great weeks. 

This particular painting comes from the June 2009 trip. We always painted around Burk's Falls and visited his favourite painting locations. He liked to have someone else along for safety and security. None of us are getting any younger and accidents can happen. 

Daytime heating had taken over as the dominant force lifting the surface air parcels to saturation. The cumulus clouds were now more vertical and had flatter, more uniform bases. Lawrence aptly called this lifted condensation level the floor of the clouds. He also called the Group of Seven's treatment of clouds as painting boulders in the sky. There is much truth in his observation! 

The title is after the name of the lake and also largely the condition of the sky. By noon, the bugs were not nearly so ferocious as they were first thing in the morning. 

My friend Lawrence Nickle and some of my work
from our time together. 

There is a favourite art quote that I often use... these words certainly apply to Lawrence as well as myself. 

Art is making a thing and then trying to make a better one. And you keep doing this until you die. And that is a pretty good life. 

Lawrence was a terrific artist and friend and I have one of his paintings to keep these memories alive. 

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