Janice Tanton: 2007

This is a rather unusual posting for this blog, and I hope you will forgive my indulgence in sharing this story and day with you....Today, we were privileged to camp up at Spray Lakes, just a half an hour away from our home in Canmore. The day was perfect so we set up at the east side of the lake, near the boat launch so Kevin and Grace could watch the fishing boats go in and out, and play along the shoreline.

I wasn't aware that Kevin was photographing me while I was painting, which was likely a good thing, as I would have been quite self conscious. After awhile, I didn't even notice the people around me, I was so absorbed with the colours and interplay of shadow on the mountainside, the shoreline of the lake and the dancing sunlight on the water. A group of Japanese tourists happened to stop by and watched me paint for some time, with one gentleman who spoke excellent English, translating questions to me as I worked. This was a new experience for me, having only done 3 or 4 very small plein air paintings to this point, but I was happy to answer any questions they had and take a short break from the beating sun.

With a strong enough breeze coming in eventually to keep us cool, the light changed a great deal as I worked through the relationships of the values, the colour and the interplay of light in the scene that I'd chosen. I was lost except for a few comments from Kevin as I worked, Grace having fallen sound asleep on the beach for her afternoon nap.

In every painting, there is a time when I find the relationship with the work ebbs and flows. I was at a point where I was carefully judging and reconstructing some of the values of the colours when a small family group took up a spot on the upper shore to the left side of my painting area. I could hear them in the clear mountain air, even though they were a good 150 yards away or so. There were small children, older folks and teens...and in a moment, I became aware that this was an important gathering for them. I could hear one gentleman remark to some of the smaller children...Victoria, I think her name was...that in a while, he'd take her down to see what the artist was doing and to dip her feet in the cold glacier water of Spray. That same voice a few moments later, calmed the family members down and I realized that they were there, united in a purpose to honour a family member who had passed. I heard them say how much he had loved this place, and enjoyed being with his family, and my painting suddenly took on a life of it's own. I was working through the area where they stood, when a small group of three or so, walked closer to the lake, and cast Bill's ashes into the clear blueness of the water. I stood transfixed, priveleged and honoured that this man's story was unfolding in front of me, and walking right into my work. Bill swirled in the wind, circling up and around, as if to embrace his family and I knew at that moment that the Creator had put me in that place for a reason.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I worked quickly to capture what I felt in that place, bringing that wonderful family into the work and aware that there was a great spirit in that place right then. Colours and value relationships all harmonized in one moment, capturing a part of Bill. I was emotionally energized and drained in one moment.

A few minutes later, part of the family made their way down to where I was working, the man with the jovial voice leading his grandchildren to the shore. A lovely young woman and I think, her mother, walked over to see what I was doing, and several of the smaller children followed. "Look...she's painted us." one of the children said. It was hard for me to speak, and I asked the young teen about the ceremony that had just taken place. She told me that it was her uncle that had passed away. Another few moments passed and most of the family all went back to their picnic area, Bill's young neice staying behind and looking out into the distant shore. I whispered to Kevin to ask her to come back, and when she did, I asked her if Bill was married, and if his widow was here. She said yes, and I asked her to give the painting to her from us but to please not have her come back to thank me, that I was shy about this special gift and that it was a very powerful moment for me.

As she made her way back up to the group, Kevin and I quickly packed up our paints and easels, trying to make a quick escape but to no avail. Bill's widow came down to see us with her niece and was ever-thankful. I was glad to have met her and gave her a big hug. She told me how much he had loved this place and pointed across the lake directly to our campsite. "There....there," she said. "That's where we spent so many happy times together." I felt full of the Creator's spirit and reaffirmed the gift that I have been given - to capture and listen to all that is around us, connected in our circle.

We took a drive down to Mt. Engadine lodge area after that, and were thrilled to see two moose crossing the meadow in the valley. We then returned to our campsite to find two majestic and very peaceful and friendly deer visit us. We are certain there was no coincidence that we were pulled so close to nature this day. Meegwetch.