#2864 "Log Jam at Lac du Brochet"

#2864 "Log Jam at Lac du Brochet"
8x10 inches oils on stretched canvas
1:30 pm Monday July 29th, 2024

I was on my way to CPAWS DRAW 2024. The road to the DuMoine River, Rod & Gun Club and Sheerway was increasingly tortuous even for the Subaru Forester. The vehicle needed to remain in showroom condition. As I was poking my way along and enjoying the rugged scenery, I paused to enjoy the outflow from Lac du Brochet into downstream Lac Verdor. The road crosses the narrow land bridge between the two lakes. The water would eventually connect with the Dumoine River south of the Grand Chute. 

Lac du Brochet means Pike Lake in English. I came to paint and did not have my fishing rod. Nor did I purchase a Quebec fishing licence. It would have been great casting for pike along those shores. By the way, the downstream Lac Verdor means "greenery" in Spanish. The forest was certainly vivid in colour! 

Clouds of deer flies followed the car as I picked the best path along the road between the large rocks and stumps. I was somewhat concerned that the flies would make it almost impossible to get into the creative zone while painting. It was only 1:30 pm and I knew that the organziers of DRAW 2024 were still an hour or two behind me. I decided to give the scene a try with the afternoon light on my back. The sun was actually hot... As it turned out, the biting bugs left me alone enough to paint. 

I was intrigued by the colours of the half submerged logs jammed together at the outlet end of the lake. The colours of the wood changes dramatically at the waters edge. Sometimes waves would certainly wet the entire logs. The angles of the logs and shoreline created a natural zig and zag type composition. The serenity of the still waters was mezmerizing. It was a fun time painting. 

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 the  first of  thirty-five paintings I completed en plein air at CPAWS DRAW 2024. 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 CPAW and keep the 'wild' in the wilderness.  

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Here is the link to the CPAWS DRAW Collection. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick