#2818 "The Broad Side of a Dumoine Pioneer Barn Door"

#2818 "The Broad Side of a Dumoine Pioneer Barn Door"
11x14 inches oils on stretched canvas

I waited with my new friend Maggie for her brother Peter to pick her up. Maggie was the last CPAWS DRAW participant to leave except of course, for me. She told me that everyone from the area would readily recognize this old log barn, so that is what I decided to paint next.

I had just finished moving my tent to higher ground and drying everything out. The sun was just coming out. The tent and sleeping bag were drying in the rays of the afternoon sun. I had all afternoon to paint before the supper hour. Life is good. 

There was an assortment of historic relics leaning against the wall of the log barn and I thought they would make an interesting composition. I even included the blue thermometer on the wall and what looked like the remains of a moose antler nailed to the door. 

A red squirrel kept me company with its chatter. It drank the water trapped on the top of the old cooler. Rodents were going through the wall of the log barn like they knew the place well. Oh my! I was far better off in my tent. 

Done.. and ready for dinner. 

CPAWS-Ottawa Valley has hosted DRAW Retreat for Artists since 2017. DRAW is a clever acronym for Dumoine River Art for Wilderness. I have attended every year except during COVID. There is no better cause. The goals are admirable and ones that I deeply share. The goal is ultimately to make a lasting difference like A.Y. Jackson and the Ontario Society of Artists did in the case of Killarney Provincial Park. The impacts of climate change are already being felt. There is no time for dithering. 

This is number twenty-six of twenty-eight paintings I completed en plein air at CPAWS DRAW 2023. It was a wonderful experience with a terrific group of people. https://cpaws-ov-vo.org/draw-retreat-artists/ A portion of sales from this endeavour will go to support CPWAS and keep the wild in the wilderness. 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels. To go to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Collection on Fine Art America, click here. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick