Canoe Art: Paintings, Sketches, Sculpture, Architecture

[Murat V]

With the raving success of Memaquay's Photo of the Day thread and the recent post of artist Rejean Roy, I thought maybe we could start something along the lines of Canoe Art related thread. Maybe folks have some artwork they've collected over the year with a canoe related theme. Or better yet, they've done some canoe tripping related artwork themselves that they'd like to share. Personally, I've been collecting images of paintings and old photos in my research on historical paddle designs. But I'm always on the lookout for living artists who feature canoes prominently in their work. With his permission for posting, here's some artwork of Graham Robertson (Toronto) who does some modern art with traditional tripping gear.

"Coureur Des Bois: Wanigan"
20x24" Acrylic on canvas

"Follow What i Say...Not What I've Done"
24X18" Acrylic on canvas

 

[Guest]

I like these. I'll look for more of his work.

 

[memaquay]

Not sure if this qualifies as art...

 

[stripperguy]

This is the closest I can come to an artistic contribution. This photo shows last years Christmas gifts to those that joined me on a fateful trip. My faithful servant of 28 years left us on that trip, but the memories it created will last a lifetime. There was a specific photo for each person on the trip, with special meaning just for them.

 

[Murat V]

Like the idea for the picture frames...very creative use of leftover cedar strips. You must have lots laying being the stripperguy and all.

 

[stripperguy]

Yeah, uhmmm, those are not leftover strips...that's all that is left of my 28 year old tandem.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Yeah, uhmmm, those are not leftover strips...that's all that is left of my 28 year old tandem.

Nice way to keep fond memories alive!

Murat, I really really like Breakfast by Graham Robinson. Its on the link if you ferret around

 

[Guest]

Like to do that with a few aluminum boats I've been through, but I'd need a torch lol

Yeah, uhmmm, those are not leftover strips...that's all that is left of my 28 year old tandem.

 

[Guest]

Murat, love a more contemporary art style with some very vintage canoeing apparatus ie wanigans =]

With the raving success of Memaquay's Photo of the Day thread and the recent post of artist Rejean Roy, I thought maybe we could start something along the lines of Canoe Art related thread. Maybe folks have some artwork they've collected over the year with a canoe related theme. Or better yet, they've done some canoe tripping related artwork themselves that they'd like to share. Personally, I've been collecting images of paintings and old photos in my research on historical paddle designs. But I'm always on the lookout for living artists who feature canoes prominently in their work. With his permission for posting, here's some artwork of Graham Robertson (Toronto) who does some modern art with traditional tripping gear.

"Coureur Des Bois: Wanigan"
20x24" Acrylic on canvas

"Follow What i Say...Not What I've Done"
24X18" Acrylic on canvas

 

[Murat V]

Yeah, uhmmm, those are not leftover strips...that's all that is left of my 28 year old tandem.

Yikes...at least you salvaged something for the memories. I thought strippers were nearly indestructible with all that epoxy and glass.

 

[Murat V]

Here's another artist with a more traditional feel. A few years ago, I stumbled upon the art page dedicated to Michael Connolly (1952-2008) setup by his daughter, Sarah. Lots of wonderful paintings there with a canoe tripping theme.

Here's my favourite...

Rusty's Camp

Here's another called "Encampment at Dawn"

That green wall tent looks a lot like the one I see in Robin's trip reports

 

[Guest]

Murat,

I'd like to contribute to this thread, but I've got nothing.

Despite having my very own painter-in-residence. Maybe on day.

The rest of the local painters' community hasn't yet found the subject either.

I'm acquainted with one local w&c builder and know of another guy who paddles one. Maybe if I try to introduce them to the right people: the visuals are hard to resist.

You sort of underlined LIVING artists, and I think that I know why.

But I could not help think of Homer and of illustrators NC Weyth and Frank E Schoonover.

Canoes at least, if not limited to tripping.

But most of all I hope that you continue to introduce us to more of your list. I'm sure that your artists won't see harm in that.

I begin to see what you mean about RUSTY'S.

 

[oldie moldy]

Murat, I've looked and looked at that painting "Follow what I say......not what I've done" and for the life of me I don't get it. The guy isn't saying anything and all he's doing is paddling. And the drowned trees; what's up with the removed section? He's cut trees and he doesn't want you to cut any? Gravity doesn't work where he is and the top section won't fall?
Sorry to be such a dunderhead, but can you shine any light on this?

Very confused,
Rob

 

[yellowcanoe]

No art critic here either.. maybe I need Art Appreciation 101.. maybe the painting OM Rob is referring to speaks of regrets of a youthful past with a chainsaw. Maybe we better rope in the other Rob with the chainsaw..

 

[Rippy]

Murat, I've looked and looked at that painting "Follow what I say......not what I've done" and for the life of me I don't get it. The guy isn't saying anything and all he's doing is paddling. And the drowned trees; what's up with the removed section? He's cut trees and he doesn't want you to cut any? Gravity doesn't work where he is and the top section won't fall?
Sorry to be such a dunderhead, but can you shine any light on this?

Very confused,
Rob

Went right over my head too.

 

[Guest]

Murat, I've looked and looked at that painting "Follow what I say......not what I've done" and for the life of me I don't get it. The guy isn't saying anything and all he's doing is paddling. And the drowned trees; what's up with the removed section? He's cut trees and he doesn't want you to cut any? Gravity doesn't work where he is and the top section won't fall?

My interpretation was that the anti-gravity “cut” was a stylization of the refraction between the above and below water parts of the trees.

As for the "Follow what I say......not what I've done" perhaps it evoked the artist’s memory of paddling amongst the trees in a flooded forest; I’ve done it but don’t recommend it.

 

[Murat V]

Murat, I've looked and looked at that painting "Follow what I say......not what I've done" and for the life of me I don't get it. The guy isn't saying anything and all he's doing is paddling. And the drowned trees; what's up with the removed section? He's cut trees and he doesn't want you to cut any? Gravity doesn't work where he is and the top section won't fall?
Sorry to be such a dunderhead, but can you shine any light on this?

Very confused,
Rob

His bio talks about tripping in the Temagami region. There's been renewed pressure to re-activate logging & mining activities in some of the protected old growth reserves along well known paddling routes. Maybe a subtle message about how we're right at the proverbial "tipping" point with the loss of those trees. But of course, he's from Toronto and according to the John Stewart Daily Show - everyone here in Toronto is on crack. Guess you never can really know what's happening in the mind of an artist.

Anyway, back to more traditional illustrators. Acer mentioned F.E. Schoonover... I finally was able to find the source of this classic image...

It's from a Scribner's Magazine short fiction article entitled, "His Quest, and the End of It" by Gerald Chittenden (VOL XLVIII, July, 1910)

 

[Guest]

His bio talks about tripping in the Temagami region. There's been renewed pressure to re-activate logging & mining activities in some of the protected old growth reserves along well known paddling routes. Maybe a subtle message about how we're right at the proverbial "tipping" point with the loss of those trees.

Murat, the “tipping point comment”, and these from the animal encounters thread, hit a nerve.

When it's broken, it's gone forever.

Brad, I hear you where I think you're coming from. I've pretty much given up listening to the news; it gets me so down and there's nothing I can do about it

I have the great good fortune to spend time with some well regarded and highly knowledgeable naturalists, field biologists and conservationists. Their company gladdens me, but their near unanimous consensus that we’ve past the tipping point makes me weep.

 

[Robin]

Here's another called "Encampment at Dawn"

That green wall tent looks a lot like the one I see in Robin's trip reports

I like that, a Timberline. Most paintings have a canvas tent from days gone by.
I like his paddle too, suits me fine. I need to buy a can of red paint!

I don't know what it is about this one, but I really like it.

 

[Murat V]

Here's a poling illustration from Harry Fenn (1845 – 1911) - "Poling up the Moose River"