An Old Friend

A mature white pine with a distinctive curve in it's trunk standing it seems forever overlooking Lake Superior (near the Coldwater River) has disappeared from the landscape and is sadly missed by this writer. I first noticed it missing late last fall while driving to Sault Ste. Marie to set up our Christmas art store in a local mall. As I rounded the corner and started my descent of the long hill where this pine tree has stood for decades, I noticed a gap in the familiar landscape: something was missing. I looked in my rear-view mirror and  still couldn't see it and decided that I must have been preoccupied thinking about the work that I still had to do. While driving home a few days later I couldn't believe my eyes. When I rounded the same corner traveling north, this magnificent white pine was no longer standing. The "Sentinel" which I had painted earlier in the spring as part of my "North of Superior Art series was gone. 

This tree had withstood countless storms coming off Lake Superior and lived through some of the darkest events in the world. It witnessed the passing of a number of great Canadians. A.Y Jackson, a member of the Group of Seven drove by this tree in the early 60's when this highway was first completed. He was on his way to his cottage on Sandy Beach and would have local marina owner Lyman Buck take him on several sketching excursions. Composer Glenn Gould drove by it on his visits to the Wawa area. I often wonder if some of his compositions were inspired by the wind blowing through it's branches. It witnessed the passing of a young long distance runner on the race of his life. In August of 1980, Terry Fox struggled on the hill where it was slowly growing and taking shape and it's curved trunk reached out to him. It witnessed the westward migration of thousands of young Canadians on a search for peace, love and harmony. It was a journey that would bring them full circle and  eventually confront them with their own humanity and mortality -including this writer.

Status: 1st painting title: "Sentinel" 8x10" acrylic on canvas. This painting comes in a frame and shipping is included in the price: $225.00

Status: 2nd painting title: "Old Friend" 8x10 acrylic on canvas. This little painting was mostly painted just below where this majestic tree used to stand...I added the artist painting and rock inscription in my studio...a touch of realism, folk and impressionism - all good I hope. 

Status: available and comes with a frame, one of my Gitchee Gumme/Songs From the Lake Cd and free shipping..$175.00