|
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We are pleased that within the next few months, we will see the completion of Joan's series of paintings celebrating the "RCMP Musical Ride." It has been a long project spanning the last 3 year involving hundreds of hours of traveling, photographing, sketching, planning and painting.
This series has drawn the imagination and attention of many people. Several media articles, a small showing at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and a recent introduction in the BC Legislature by our MLA Scott Fraser has prompted us to create an independent website for this series...please visit www.canadarides.ca for more information.
Last year Joan had the very great pleasure of traveling to Sable Island to paint the wild horses. She describes it as a "life altering experience." In her own words, she says "close your eyes and just imagine if you will...it is a warm balmy summer evening, the wind is blowing gently and you are sitting on a sand dune facing the ocean. You are virtually alone on a almost deserted island 180 km from the mainland of Canada. As you close your eyes and feel the last rays of the sun before it slides below the endless horizon all you can hear is the soft sounds of the waves lapping upon the shore and the horses grazing at the edge of the dunes. I became eminently conscious of a feeling of great serenity and security that wrapped around me like a warm cloak."
 Although it has been difficult for Joan to not jump straight into the Sable Island series, the first commitment has been to finish the Musical Ride series. So this experience has been simmering on the back burner for the last year and the first of the paintings has finally erupted. It could no longer be denied. Joan is not sorry about the wait as the she feels that during this time the strongest images have had time to assert themselves. She plans to work on both series concurrently.
Joan is also pleased to be spending more time out of the studio pursuing 2 different activities that greatly enhance what happens in the studio...riding her horse and making time to do more field sketching (also known as "plein air painting"). Encouraged by local artist and friend Brent Lynch, Joan admits that most of the field sketches are dismal but improving..."its about process, not product" she says "and the direct experience and spontaneity are definitely having a positive impact on the studio paintings."
Regards,
Paul S. Smith & Joan Larson
|
