When I created this charming watercolour scene last July in our Airstream trailer, I loved the peaceful feeling the artwork conveyed.

While I have made over 400 paintings about rocks, this was my first one with a dragonfly. It was pure joy to recreate the body markings and delicate wings of this exquisite creature.

At the time, I had no idea how profoundly this little dragonfly at rest on a pebble beach would touch the hearts of thousands of people I have never met.

First, a little back story:

A Place of Rest, varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel was inspired by a photo I took in 2019 of a Mosaic Darner dragonfly at L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic site in Newfoundland.

I selected these uniquely striped stones from my vast pebble collection (many of which also came from Newfoundland) to use as painting references.

Then I sketched a still life scene showing the smooth stones nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders became the dragonfly's perch.

In August I introduced this painting along with several more in my Studio Newsletter. One of my subscribers, a collector of my work in Georgia, USA, moved swiftly and acquired A Place of Rest for her home.

This fall, I entered a digital image of A Place of Rest into the Richeson75 international online art competition and it was accepted as a Finalist. As is my habit, I announced this happy news on Facebook, and that is when things got really exciting very quickly.

Here is my Facebook post from November 20:

I am thrilled to announce that my watercolour painting A Place of Rest has been selected as a Finalist in the Richeson75 Animals, Birds, and Wildlife 2025 annual international competition.
Typically, this prestigious event attracts submissions from 3,500 artists in over 70 countries, so it is an incredible honour to see my little painting from Canada be accepted by the jury.
The 75 Finalists and Winners paintings are on permanent display online at
https://richeson75.com/pages/wildlife/2025/index.html There are some awesome pieces here so do check them out!
A Place of Rest (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel) now resides in the home of one of my collectors in Georgia, USA. She sent me this lovely note: "Your painting arrived. When I opened it, my husband said "wow, that's amazing!" You have a gift for watercolor realism I haven't seen from any other artist. Thanks so much - you can rest assured your work will be well appreciated in its new home."

I was not prepared for, and cannot explain, the avalanche of good wishes that came my way in response to this post. Shown below are Facebook's audience engagement stats as of November 24.

Including two Facebook group sites where I shared my post, in the span of four days it has been viewed over 100,000 times, reached over 70,000 people, and attracted over 5,000 interactions including almost 1,000 comments. I have never had a post receive this much attention in all the years I have been on Facebook.

In the midst of all this excitement, several people asked if they could order prints of my dragonfly painting, so I got to work on that right away.

I am happy to report, A Place of Rest is now available as art prints from my online publisher Fine Art America. (Just in time, in case they have a Black Friday Sale!)

Prints of this dragonfly painting can be ordered on your choice of substrates (paper, canvas, metal, acrylic, wood, or fabric) in sizes ranging from 8 x 8 inches to 36 x 36 inches. Fine Art America will create a custom archival print to your specifications and ship directly to you from their closest manufacturing facility. Shown here is an example of a framed paper print. Check out my entire collection of art prints here.

And that is the remarkable tale of how my little dragonfly went viral.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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In last month's post, The Magic of Mazinaw, I shared with you my most inspiring photos and videos from our recent ten-day camping trip to Bon Echo Provincial Park in eastern Ontario.

This park is one of those magical places that makes us pause, breathe, and rediscover the rejuvenating power of Nature. It is no wonder that people have felt a reverence for this place for thousands of years.

Now that my husband and I are settled back in at home after the camping season ended, I have been happily working on new paintings in my studio.

As well as three commissioned custom artworks for clients, I have been painting my Bon Echo Collection. I am so excited to share the first small pieces in this series with you now. 

Pictured above is Mazinaw Memoir (varnished watercolour on 6 x 12 inch panel). This is the panoramic view that greeted me during the first sunset I witnessed in this park.

The last rays of sunshine painted the granite cliff orange, while dramatic purple shadows crept up its face. Tranquil water reflected the entire wondrous display, with a few ripples guiding our eyes through the scene.

Shown here is the photo I took that evening, which I used as one of several references for the painting.

I made a few changes to the near shore to improve the balance of the composition.

Click here for more information about Mazinaw Memoir.

Pictured here is Mazinaw Magic, (varnished watercolour on 8 x 8 inch panel), the next piece in my Bon Echo Collection.

This painting captures a special moment, when afternoon sun lights up the cliff face, and its warmth is reflected in the breaking waves along a pebble beach. We almost can hear the waves as they are guided gently onto the shore by a soft breeze.

Shown here is the photo I took that afternoon and used as a general reference for the painting.

I took some artistic licence with the beach gravel and I used warmer colours in the entire scene.

Click here for more information about Mazinaw Magic.

The Bon Echo Collection is inspired by the quiet power of lake and rock and the freshness of autumn air in the pines. I hope these paintings serve as reminders of the power of art to bring peace and presence back into our lives.

More Bon Echo paintings will continue into next year. It’s a body of work that deserves time to breathe, and I can’t wait to reveal the collection as it evolves.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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Throughout the year, my artwork is exhibited at three galleries across central Ontario. With the festive season fast approaching, I want to share with you the special holiday events being hosted by these galleries, and invite you to attend. Absorb all the inspiring vibes in these lovely locales, and perhaps take advantage of their seasonal sales while you are there. You just might find a uniquely wonderful gift for yourself or a special someone.

Colborne Street Gallery at 36 Colborne Street in Fenelon Falls currently is hosting their very popular two-month show 'A Holiday Art Market', which runs until December 23. This show and sale features a wide range of affordable art and home decor items, made by regional artists. The Gallery also has for sale autographed copies of my book Watercolour Toolbox: Essentials For Painting Success.

Pictured above are the varnished watercolours I have available there. I call this body of work my 'Northern Hues' Collection because of the vivid colours in many of these scenes of the Canadian Shield. See more details about these pieces here.

Enjoy the Holidays with Small Art at Eclipse Art Gallery This beautifully curated gallery represents the work of over 50 Canadian artists. They are at 3 Brunel Road in downtown Huntsville, and also display selected artworks at Deerhurst Resort (1235 Deerhurst Drive, Hunstville). 

Shown above are the paintings I have in their seasonal show of small scale visual art, perfect for gift giving. I call this collection my 'Northern Magic' Series as each piece features a special moment of light that is pure magic.

Receive 10% off online or in store from November 28 to December 24 on all Small Art at Eclipse Art Gallery. (Use code: Holidays if shopping online.) Click here for the link to my art page on the gallery web site.

Twelve Days of Christmas: It’s time again for META4 Gallery’s annual Christmas sale in downtown Port Perry at 200 Queen Street. They offer a discount on a different art medium each day, for the first 12 days of December. Meta4 represents 100+ awesome Ontario artists.

Regarding my paintings, on December 3 and 12 you can save 10% on all visual art, including seven of my varnished watercolours shown above. I named this body of work my 'Northern Adventures' Series because it feature canoes, an island cabin, and glorious skies witnessed on camping excursions in northern Canada.

If you like to make art, Meta4 Gallery offers excellent art workshops for adult students throughout the year in their studio space, and on December 8 offers 10% off Art Supplies.

The Gallery also has for sale a selection of my Art Cards (pictured here) and autographed copies of my art instruction book Watercolour Toolbox: Essentials For Painting Success.

See more Meta4 Gallery details here.

I hope you find this rundown of upcoming seasonal events helpful. Refer to Gallery web sites for store hours and locations.

Wherever your holiday season takes you, may you find peace, joy, and inspiration for the soul.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. Have you visited any of these galleries and what was your impression?

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you want to see more of her travel tales, painting stories, studio news updates, or notices of upcoming exhibitions. 

After a summer spent exploring six provinces, from hiking up hills in Saskatchewan, to walking the cobblestone streets of old Quebec City, to sailing on Bluenose II in Nova Scotia, we spent the fall camping in provincial parks in eastern Ontario.

My husband and I love camping in autumn, when days are sunny, warm, and bug-free, nights are cool, leaves are changing colour, and parks are less busy once the school year has begun.

The highlight of our fall camping season this year was a ten-day stay with friends in Bon Echo Provincial Park, near Cloyne, Ontario. 

The famous geological feature at the heart of this renowned park is Mazinaw Rock. This awe-inspiring granite cliff is pictured above, with the rays of the setting sun making it glow, and the shadows of the far shore beginning to creep up the rock face. 

I was mesmerized by this massive cliff that rises 300 feet (100 meters) above Mazinaw Lake and extends the same distance below the water. My artist's eye was fascinated by how many different colours the rock presents throughout the day, such as the muted violet and rose hues revealed after sunset (above).

In the morning, the sun rises behind the cliff and makes the rock face appear blue and grey. Gradually shadows are displaced as the day progresses. 

As impressive as Mazinaw Rock appears when seen from the campground shore, it is not until we paddled along the base of this majestic cliff in our kayaks that we truly appreciated the sheer size of it. In the photo below, you can barely make out my husband in his yellow kayak at the cliff base.

Mazinaw, named for an Algonquin word meaning 'picture' or 'writing', is the largest rock art site on the Canadian Shield. Along the base of this cliff, Indigenous People created more than 260 pictographs, some dating back thousands of years. The park's name, 'Bon Echo,' refers to the distinct echo that bounces off the sheer face of Mazinaw Rock.

The photo above shows Turtle Rock, a famous point with a rock resembling the head of a turtle, resting just above the lake surface.

Mazinaw Lake is one of Ontario's deepest lakes and has an intriguing history that includes a famous inn that became an artist's haven and wilderness retreat. Several members of the Group of Seven stayed and painted here in the early 20th century. I understand completely why creative people are drawn to this marvel of nature.

The property of the former inn was donated to the province in 1965, which led to the creation of the provincial park.

If you have not visited Bon Echo Provincial Park yet, I hope you get a chance to do so in the near future. You can rent water craft there, or take a narrated tour boat to see the cliff up close. Be sure to stop by the visitor's centre and learn about the historical significance of Mazinaw Rock.

Bon Echo has become one the crown jewels of Ontario's park system, and I am profoundly moved by the powerful magic found here. An overarching theme to my art practice is to bear witness to the beauty of places that matter. 

This park is a natural and cultural treasure. Its stunning views and tranquility have seeped into my soul. I feel compelled to pay homage to this revered landscape, following in the footsteps of many before me. 

My Bon Echo Collection is already underway, as I began the first three paintings while camping in our Airstream. A few of these small pieces will be releasing before the holidays, and more works will continue into next year. It’s a body of work that deserves time to breathe, and I can’t wait to reveal the collection as it evolves.

I made this five-minute video compilation to show you some of my most inspiring photos and video footage taken at Bon Echo. Turn on your speakers, click on the image below and enjoy!

Please contact me if any of these images speak to your heart; I would be delighted to create a custom piece for you in a size that suits your space.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you want to see more of her travel tales, painting stories, studio news updates, or notices of upcoming exhibitions.   

This summer my husband and I spent five weeks exploring and camping in the southern half of Saskatchewan, along with our good friends Roger and Carolyn who have been our camping buddies for the last 50 years.

Last month, I shared my favourite landscape photos from our western adventure in my post Saskatchewan Skies: Through an Artist's Eye

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Grasslands National Park in the southwestern corner of the province, just north of the state of Montana.

Before the Park's creation, Indigenous peoples inhabited the area for thousands of years, followed by Euro-Canadian settlement, including ranching and homesteading efforts.

Grasslands National Park evolved from a vision in 1981 to official proclamation in 2001. It's mandate is to preserve Canada's mixed-grass prairie by protecting the remaining native grassland and its cultural and paleontological heritage.

I invite you to enjoy this short video I produced, which is a collage of the wildlife we encountered during  four days of camping, hiking, and driving in the Park. I hope this brief glimpse inspires you to visit this beautiful part of Canada in person one day.

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post.

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My painting pictured here, Superior Solace, varnished watercolour on 11 x 14 inch panel, was selected this summer as one of 75 Finalists in the annual Richeson75 Landscape, Seascape, and Architecture International Art Competition. 

This watercolour artwork captures the misty day my husband and I explored the massive flat rock beach at Marathon, ON, on the Canadian shore of Lake Superior. The vastness of this landscape dwarfs its human visitors. Imagine the millions of years it took for the lake to sculpt these smooth, sloping shores.

I sent hearty congratulations to all the Richeson75 Finalists, who reside in Canada, USA, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, England, France, Turkey, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Russia. The collection of 75 winning paintings are featured in a permanent online exhibit that opened July 15. View the winning paintings here.

This summer I also learned that all three of the paintings I entered in the 6th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition were accepted into the exhibit, and all three paintings won awards.

This year, there were 1730 entries from women artists in 56 countries, and only 276 paintings were accepted into the online show. To have all three of my entries accepted and win awards is truly remarkable, and I am most grateful to the panel of nine international judges who selected my works for these honours.

My piece The Windy Shore, varnished watercolour on 20 x 16 inch panel, was awarded the Streamline Publishing Merchandise Award in the Landscape and Water Category. My prize was a subscription to Plein Air Magazine. 

The Windy Shore was inspired during my stay at a lodge on a cluster of tiny islands in Georgian Bay. While kayaking there, I was treated to my first up-close views of the iconic rock of that region of Ontario. The patterns in these smooth rock slabs and the windswept trees are an artist's dream to paint.

My painting Sunbathing Swallowtails, varnished watercolour on 18 x 24 inch panel, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Animal & Wildlife Category from Women in Watercolor.

What a privilege it was to sit on a sandy beach beside a lake in northern Ontario, watching the antics of these male Tiger Swallowtail butterflies, while we ate a picnic lunch. I will never forget the experience. I painted these charming insects back in my studio.

We Are All Connected, varnished watercolour on 24 x 24 inch panel, shown above with me in my studio the day I finished the painting, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Still Life & Floral Category from Women in Watercolor.

This painting is inspired by my collection of smooth striped stones, gathered during our travels across Canada. The circle is symbolic of unity and the stripes represent the traits we share that connect us together, even though we are unique as individuals.

You can view all the winning paintings in the 6th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition here.

In August I was thrilled to learn that We Are All Connected also was juried into the Society of Canadian Artists 57th International Exhibition. Out of 631 entries from professional artists all across Canada, 114 were accepted. The online show opened August 27 and runs till September 30. See all 114 accepted artworks here.

After many decades spent navigating through this roller coaster artist's life of mine, I still feel as thrilled as a little kid when good things like this happen. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to visit and paint the places I adore, and then share my paintings with people all over the world. I often think to myself "Pinch me, somebody!".

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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My husband and I love to go camping in our travel trailer whenever we can during Canada's warmer season. Some years these trips add up to several months of travel as we explore various regions of this beautiful country.

Being on the road for extended trips is exciting but we still need 'down time' to just relax and recharge. Once a week or so, we pause the holiday for a few hours so I can do something creative.

Sometimes, that activity might be cooking a special meal for guests, or baking a dessert, but most often it involves painting. I wrote a blog post a while back about my art studio on the road and in the photo above, you can see that setup at the dinette of our Airstream trailer.

This July, I was able to complete four small paintings in our trailer, while we explored Saskatchewan.

These new works are pictured here and their back stories are featured in this post.

I sketched all the compositions onto watercolour paper before we left home, and brought all the reference photos I needed.

Having this prep work done makes it easy to start painting when I have a morning or afternoon to spare while we travel.

A Place of Rest, varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel (pictured above) was inspired by this close-up photo I took in 2019 of a Mosaic Darner dragonfly at L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic site in Newfoundland.

I saved the photo for just the right composition, and finally inspiration struck this summer.

I selected over twenty uniquely striped stones from my vast pebble collection (many of which also came from Newfoundland).

Then I sketched a still life scene showing the smooth stones nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders was to be the dragonfly's perch. 

I brought a photo of the group of pebbles with me to use as a painting reference. Can you match up the stones in the painting with the stones in my reference photo? Sizes and colours may be different.

While I have made over 400 paintings of rocks, this was my first one with a dragonfly. It was fun to recreate the body markings and delicate wings of this exquisite creature.

Click here for more details about A Place of Rest.

Northern lakes continue to provide limitless inspiration for my artwork. Solitaire Stillness, varnished watercolour on 8 x 8 inch panel, captures a quiet moment on Solitaire Lake near Huntsville, ON.

We spent a lovely day hiking around the shore of this charming lake on a gorgeous, warm fall day in 2022. 

The stunning contrast of deep blue water and azure skies against orange and gold autumn foliage always calls out to my creative soul. Being surrounded by this visual beauty and the gentle sounds of nature - birds singing, frogs croaking and leaves rustling - brings me profound peace. I hope this painting conveys the same feeling to you.

Click here for more information about Solitaire Solitude.

The latest piece in my Northern Journeys series is Heart of the Wilderness, varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel. This island scene with a canoe resting on the rocks is composed from my imagination, using the rocky shore and pine tree reference photos pictured here.

I created a misty background with hints of autumn hues along the far shore. In contrast, the rocky island crowned with a cluster of trees and bushes is in sharp focus.

It took many layers of paint to create the brilliantly saturated colour of this collection of fall foliage.

Click here for more information about Heart of the Wilderness.

Superior Sunrise, varnished watercolour on 8 x 8 inch panel, was inspired by a remarkable photo of the Lake Superior shore taken by Shanna Cameron, and used as reference for my painting, with her gracious permission.

Shanna's photo is pictured here beside my own reference photo taken in Pukaskwa National Park's old growth forest.

I added a cluster of trees from Pukaskwa to those in Shanna's photo, to create a more balanced composition.

I also changed the position of the moon to make it more prominent in the final scene.

Click here for more information about Superior Sunrise.

I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse behind the scenes to see how these four little gems came into existence. This collection reminds me of the saying "Good things come in small packages".

If you have comments you wish to share, please do so using the 'Leave a Comment' button at the top of this post. 

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My husband and I have traveled through Saskatchewan many times on our way to the west coast, observing the mostly flat scenery of the province, as viewed from the Trans Canada and Yellowhead Highways.

Other than a fantastic camping trip to Cypress Hills Inter-provincial Park years ago, we had not seen much of Saskatchewan.

This summer we decided to remedy this omission and spent five weeks exploring and camping in the southern half of Saskatchewan, along with good friends who have been our camping buddies for the last 50 years.

Pictured above is our campsite at Grasslands National Park, just after a rain shower produced a spectacular rainbow. (I should have checked for the pot of gold under that picnic table at the end of the rainbow...)

The rainbow was filled with 'spokes' that are called anticrepuscular rays (or antisolar rays). They are a meteorological phenomenon, and appear to converge at the antisolar point, directly opposite the sun in the sky.

We stayed four days in this gorgeous park and one evening saw more of the rays, in the opposite direction to the sunset.

The really cool thing about the skies of Saskatchewan is that one can see them from horizon to horizon, without many trees or buildings blocking the view.

This makes the skies appear to be very vast, compared to those in my home province of Ontario.

Shown here is the Frenchman River, which has carved the distinct valley that dominates the West Block of Grasslands National Park.

The thing that struck me most about this extraordinary park is that, as soon as you step out of your vehicle on arrival, the sound of birdsong fills the air, even though there are no trees in sight. (Apparently the birds nest in the prairie grass or underground.) 

After ten or fifteen minutes spent absorbing the smells and sounds of this naturalized area teeming with life, its profound peace and serenity seeps into your bones. It is one of the most relaxing places I ever have visited.

Saskatchewan has lots of hilly terrain, and we got to climb one of the more significant hills called 70 Mile Butte, pictured here. The 2 km trail had switchbacks and steep grades but was well marked.

70 Mile Butte is a prominent landmark (highest point in the West Block of Grasslands National Park), and is known for its panoramic views of the surrounding prairie landscape.

In this photo, our friends are taking pictures near the summit.

Since we were traveling in July, we had the pleasure of viewing many flourishing farm crops of wheat, barley, oats, flax, canola, mustard, peas, lentils, and field beans. 

I used to assume the yellow fields were canola in bloom, but I discovered that mustard fields also bloom with yellow flowers. It is difficult to tell them apart when viewed from the roadway. Can you tell the crops in these two photos?

We were proud to learn that, (according to a very informative sample farm plot in Yorkton), Canada is the world's largest producer of mustards, flaxseed, red lentils, yellow peas, and canary seed.

Learning about farming and the agricultural history of the province was one of the highlights of our visit.

If your travels take you to Saskatchewan and you want to know more about it's multi-ethnic, hard-working people and their rich history, I highly recommend visits to the four branches of the Western Development Museum. 

The travel route for our entire trip was based on visits to these four sites in Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Yorkton.

Together they tell the remarkable story of human settlement in the province, and reveal how and why the province has become a vital part of our country. 

The Western Development Museum began in the 1940's when people realized the collection of abandoned and unused farm equipment (for scrap metal for the war effort) threatened the survival of machinery that had transformed prairie sod into productive farmland.

The fledgling museum set about preserving some of this farm equipment and has grown its collection of artifacts to include all facets of farm, rural, and indigenous life.

Today the Museum has the largest agricultural collection in Canada, with thousands of vintage objects, restored historic buildings, treasured documents, and their stories, displayed in world-class exhibits.

We found each site has a different theme and focus, but together they tell a spellbinding story of an important time in the formation of Canada. 

For example, Canada's national healthcare system, Medicare, has its roots in Saskatchewan's pioneering public health insurance programs. In 1947, the province introduced the first universal hospital insurance program in North America. This initiative, and subsequent expansion of public medical coverage, served as a model for the rest of Canada. 

I hope my account of our trip, and the photos I have shared, do justice to Saskatchewan. Our visit there was eye-opening, and I have the utmost respect for the people who have contributed to the success of, not only this province, but all of Canada. 

I end this post with a sunset photo I took in Regina, at the end of a beautiful Canada Day celebration in the capital city of Saskatchewan.

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Killarney Provincial Park was established on the north shore of Georgian Bay in 1964, but its origins trace back to the conservation efforts of artists, notably A.Y. Jackson of the Group of Seven, who pushed to protect the area for wilderness recreation and its unique landscape. 

For several decades, I have heard of the natural wonders of this region, and this spring spent a week camping, hiking, and kayaking there, camera in hand. It was a dream come true.

In this post, I am sharing photos from four distinct locations in the Killarney area.

POINT GRONDINE PARK:

We set up camp in Point Grondine Park, a First Nation owned and operated 18,000 acre recreational area east of Killarney Provincial Park. 

Point Grondine Park features 12 new spacious campsites for tent or trailer camping.  They are primitive in nature (which means they are off grid, with privy toilets available on site) but very private and quiet. It was so lovely to wake up each morning surrounded by trees and birdsong.

Our Airstream trailer provided all the comforts of home - propane powered refrigerator, stove and oven; flush toilet and shower; comfortable queen-sized bed; and solar powered batteries for our satellite internet. We used our gasoline-powered portable generator a few times for additional electrical needs.

One day we hiked to Mahzenazing Lake, which had some lovely rock outcroppings along its shoreline. This is the largest interior lake in Point Grondine Park.

Scenes of fresh water, sturdy smooth rocks, and wind-sculpted trees, (very typical elements of the Canadian Shield), always captivate my artistic mind. I was able to capture several paint-worthy views with my camera during our hike.

KILLARNEY LIGHTHOUSE TRAIL:

Another day we drove to the little town of Killarney on the shore of Georgian Bay to hike the famous Lighthouse Trail (pictured below).

The slabs of rock were huge, and we spent an hour clambering along the shore. I love the powerful diagonal lines of rock crevices, and the blue/orange colour palette in the photo above.

Shown above is another dramatic photo from that day, featuring interesting puddle shapes that lead the eye toward moody skies over Georgian Bay. This will translate into an awesome painting.

Interesting lichens provided a striking colour contrast with pink granite, worn smooth over millions of years. The Canadian Shield is very old, with parts of it dating back over 4 billion years. This makes it one of the oldest and most stable geological regions on the planet. 

CHIKANISHING TRAIL IN KILLARNEY PROVINCIAL PARK:

My favourite hike of the week took us 3 km along the Chikanishing (pronounced chicken-ISH-ing) Trail in Killarney Provincial Park. We hiked over several large smooth granite ridges with beautiful old growth pines, pictured above. The patterns of lichens were extraordinary, especially when you realize these plants only grow about 1 mm in diameter each year.

We soon reached Georgian Bay, where a collection of rocky islands dotted the shoreline. I was delighted to see two kayakers paddle by, to provide a sense of scale and adventure in the photo above.

Everywhere I looked, pink granite provided a stunning contrast to blue water and sky, and pale green lichen added its unique textural topping to the rocks.

The water of Georgian Bay was very clear, revealing underwater stones and rock shelves. I always wonder how large trees can anchor and survive on what appears to be solid rock on these islands.

Shown above is another dramatic composition with diagonal lines and my favourite blue/orange colour combination. Intricate lichens add interest to the foreground.

As we sat on a rock ledge eating our picnic lunch, it seemed there was a potential painting subject everywhere I turned. 

While we paused to absorb the beauty and peace of these rocky islands, I was reminded anew how fortunate we are to live in this part of the world. 

GEORGE LAKE IN KILLARNEY PROVINCIAL PARK:

On our last day of camping in Killarney, the weather was warm and sunny with little wind, so we took the opportunity to launch our kayaks from the beach at George Lake in Killarney Provincial Park. The photo above shows me in my kayak at the base of one of the impressive rock cliffs on the lake.

Shown above is the same rock face from a different angle. My kayak would look like a tiny speck in this photo.

Shown above is one of the most famous rock cliffs on George Lake. I love the diagonal rock crevices juxtaposed with vertical mineral stains. The two pines at the summit give a sense of scale to this massive, smooth headland.

The same headland looks very different viewed from behind (pictured above). That smoothly eroded kind of rock surface always reminds me of elephant hide.

George Lake is lined with interesting rocky shores. The contrast of pink granite and green conifers dominates the photo above.

Our day on the water provided a fitting finale to our week exploring the wonders of Killarney. Now I understand why artists like the Group of Seven were captivated by this stunning region and kept returning here to capture the iconic Canadian Shield landscape in their famous paintings. I have so much admiration for this land and look forward to capturing some magic of my own in watercolour. Stay tuned!

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