Sunset At the Cabin

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY


SUNSET AT THE CABIN - 10 X 14 - $400 unframed

'Sunset at the Cabin', my Christmas card picture this year is from my trip to Yellowknife last March.  We had driven out over icy lakes and through the bush to get to this cabin.  The plans were to stay the night but the fireplace wasn't working well and we could only get the temperature up to zero, when the sun was shining so we couldn't stay the night. The trail in the snow is the one my brother made out to a hole he had drilled in the ice fpr ice fishing.  We also when off to collect firewood and just enjoyed the day.  It was a wonderful warm, sunny day (well warm for there!!) and a beautiful sunset.  Everything took on that lovely pink glow.  It was a day to remember!!  I hope you have many special days to remember from 2012 and many more to come. Have a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Home from Yellowknife and Back to the Green

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Dave, Me and Cindy having a Snow Picnic

A winter holiday in the Northern Canada is really something for someone like me, living in the warmer south.  I just returned from a short holiday and I must admit I had a great time.  As my brother said, when I arrived I thought -8 C was dam cold and by the end of my trip I was saying that -13 C in the sun was nice!!

Dave with me at the wheel, flying down the lake!!

I saw the Northern Lights, they are just as beautiful as they say, I had my first experiences on a snowmobile flying across a lake (well, when I was driving we weren't really flying but when my brother was we were!!)  and I experienced a snow picnic at -17 C.  I was amazed how warm the sun is when it is shining .  If you were out of the wind it was wonderful.

One of those ptarmigans, they really blend into the snow

I didn't see a lot of wildlife but the ptarmigans were in town and often in sight.  It was funny to all of a sudden see this snowball start moving and even take flight.  When we were out on the lakes and in the bush we saw lots of tracks so you know lots of animals are there.

At the door of the Ice Castle, it had a wooden door!!

Out on Great Slave Lake, it seems to go on forever!!

At the Cabin, Do I look like a pro??

Sunset on the lake, aren't the colours lovely??

Visiting Yellowknife and Marketing More

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Yes, Yellowknife has called me back!  I was there in the summer last year and I heard so much of the winter adventures I had to return and see for myself.  Already it is my last day and time to go home, where did my time go?  I have been out every day, roaring down the lake on a snowmobile, sitting in the sun having a snow picnic (yes a snow picnic) and of course viewing the Northern Lights.  I went Scottish Dancing and I spent all day as part of the safety crew for the FrostBite 45 cross country ski race.  Lots of fun and all at temperatures I could hardly imagine!!
One of the most artist experiences I had (besides the incredible snowscapes) was to run a Marketing Workshop for a couple of artists here in Yellowknife. Shawna and Lynn are moving forward with their art business and we had a great evening working through the Marketing World together.  Having the opportunity to meet with artists in other areas is such an valuable experience.  To see Shawna's work http://dancingravenstudio.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/thursday-emerging-artist-marketing/ 

I will be home soon and pictures of Yellowknife will soon follow.

Dragonfly

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

DRAGONFLY - 6.5 X 9 - SOLD

In my last post, I mentioned that we stayed with friends in a cabin on Great Slave Lake.  Dragonfly was built by them over the last few years.  It is a lovely cabin on a small island in a group called Pilot Islands.  Howard, one of the owners tells me that much of the material was taken out in the winter with a skidoo and trailer.  It would be stacked and used in the summer.  Other things were brought out in the summer with their power boat and it was fun manhandling things like a stove or fridge out of the boat, on to their dock and then up over the rocks to the cabin. 

Shoreline Sketches - some were made as we were trolling

A project like that is hard work, but comes with a real feeling of accomplishment and of course lots of stories.  After hearing all of their stories it really gave me a desire to venture up north in the winter and see what life is like.  I really want to see an ice road, ride on a skidoo, see the northern lights in the winter and see the ice and snow in the setting sun.  My brother tells me March is a good time to visit so don’t be surprised if I head off next winter!!

In the meantime I thought you would enjoy seeing some of my sketches from the trip, they are just little snatches of north, so different but still so picturesque.

Dave & Cindy's Greenhouse, we got lots of fresh cherry tomatoes from their patio garden

Quick sketches as we drove back from Fort Providence, I love the rocks and trees.  The scrawny thin trees are so fun to draw.  So much personality!!

Yellowknife, NWT was a Great Place to Visit

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Dave and Cindy with their great garden

First up was a potluck dinner at the community garden, it was great to see such lush green vegetable gardens so far north and no bugs!!  My brother and sister-in-law, Dave and Cindy had a wonderful plot full of my favourite things, fresh peas, green beans and new potatoes which we enjoyed throughout our trip.

On the weekend we were off to Dragonfly, a cabin on an island on Great Slave Lake.  Howard and Bonita the cabin owners, were gracious in showing us life on the GSL.  With their boat we motored along the shoreline and stopped for little adventures,

An old boat in Mosquito Bay

we fished and caught some great pike for dinner, we feasted on wild raspberries and high bush cranberries that we picked on our adventures and generally had a wonderful time.  Everything was new and exciting and different. (Remember we are used to the west coast of BC with tall mountains and trees everywhere.)  

The Berry Pickers

 

Pike for Dinner

Trees, rock and mosses everywhere!!

One of our day trips was down the road to Fort Providence where the Mackenzie River feeds out  of the Great Slave Lake.  Our trip took us through the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary and we were treated to many bison sightings.  Also a special treat for me was the sighting of Sandhill Cranes.  I didn’t realize that many spent the summer there.  (As you know they have been the subject of many of my pictures. ) One treated us to his squawks and dance and then took off. I have never seen them fly; it was quite a sight to see.

One of the boat houses on the Lake in Old Town

Our trip is over but we have great memories.  I want to return to the north but my next trip will be to see the winter!!