The natural outdoors and wilderness inspires us in many different ways.  More importantly are the ways in which this inspiration can be portrayed to others in their own artistic form.

In my opinion, it takes artistic genius to have the ability to convey “a place” or “moment in nature” to another person as if they have been there.

One such Canadian artist, Dan Werstuk, paints a picture with pastel and gives the viewer the opportunity to immerse themselves in the natural landscapes in which he envisions through his perspective.

Dan shares some of his experiences in Ontario nature and wilderness as he discovers his artistic inspiration in order to paint the natural outdoors giving others the chance to see his perspective.

 

What are your most memorable moments of your painting – camping trip

Dan

On a visit to George Lake, I met a number of campers who had chosen a site at the top of the hill in the George Lake campground.  They hoped to get relief from the bugs since it was early June and the mosquitoes were thick and swarming.

I had been on the lake taking photos that I could use as subjects for my paintings.  When I returned, the campers told me about having seen a mother bear and her cubs walking across the ledge just below our campsite. 

They showed me where the mother bear had turned over a rotting log to find grubs to eat.  According to one fellow camper, the mother bear was teaching her cubs where to find food.  What I found interesting was that they expected them to come by at the same time the next day.

The next day I left for an early morning paddle and took more photos including the one I used in the painting of the massive granite point on George Lake.

I had something to eat, decided to walk down the road and stopped at a campsite overlooking a swamp.  As I returned to the road, one hundred yards away I watched the same mother bear standing still, staring at me.  Moments later, two very small bear cubs ambled out on to the road.

I watched for awhile, wishing that I brought my camera and hoping she wasn’t too upset with my presence.  The mother bear and the two cubs continued to walk along the edge of the swamp into the distance.

The next morning I got up and had breakfast and heard some rustling in the brush at the bottom of the hill.  I was hoping to see the mother and her cubs again so I could get some pictures.  

The noise was a moose about two or three years old with a substantial rack.  As I watched, it started to walk up the hill between me and the next campsite and it was heading for the road that ran in front of the campsite.  I quietly reached for my camera and started taking pictures. The Moose was fifteen metres away now and I continued to take photos as it passed.  I stepped onto the roadway to take pictures as it moved away but my feet ruffled the gravel.  This scared him and he started to run.  

My hope was that he would make the turn and head away from the other campsite.  He didn’t, he changed direction which was straight for the tents.  I watched in horror as he passed within inches of a tent and traveled down the other side of the hill.  

It was a close call for the guy sleeping in the tent and I learned later in the day that the person inside the tent thought it was his friend playing a joke on him and went back to sleep.  It was discovered later that the moose had caught one of the lines securing the tent and the end attached to the fly had been ripped out.

I don’t remember a time when I had two close encounters in such a short period of time with the local wildlife.

 

Do you have any interesting stories from this artistic journey in nature?

Dan

In early June I planned a trip to Killarney Provincial Park and didn't get my early departure I had planned.  My gear was all packed and the canoe secured to the roof of my vehicle and I was finally on my way to Killarney Provincial Park after lunch.  

As I got closer to the park entrance I could see that I was going to arrive after 4 pm and as I suspected, and the office was closed.

I pleaded with the park official, who was about to leave to go home but my persuasiveness was not enough.  Lesson learned:  Arrive with enough time to spare if you want a campsite!

I had to make the best of the situation and drove around the campgrounds to find a good site.  It’s not too busy in the spring (bug season) so I had a lot of options.  I settled on a site on the top of a good sized hill next to the lake hoping the wind would help keep the bugs away.  It had a great view over George Lake.  (I will use some of the pictures taken there for a future painting)

 

Why did you choose this particular location?

Dan

Many people have asked me if I have ever been to Killarney, knowing that I’m an artist and that it’s such a beautiful place.  A. Y. Jackson of the Group of Seven was instrumental in getting this area designated as a park.

I hiked into Grace Lake on the western tip of the park with a friend and wanted to do some sketching there.  I had not stayed in the park before so I decided it was time to see what everyone else talks about when they visit Killarney Provincial Park.  

Others have said that it is a beautiful area with large outcroppings of pink granite and white quartzite of the La Cloche Range.

 

How do you choose the Ontario outdoor location you want to canvas and paint?

Dan

There are a number of things I look for when I am choosing my outdoor destination

• I prefer a lake with various features such as island, rocky points and rock faces.  

• There was a time when I only looked for lakes that were laid out east to west so I could take advantage of the rising and setting sun.

• I try to pick my times to go by the weather that’s predicted which doesn’t always work out how I might have envisioned.

• I don’t really like absolutely clear days as clouds add to the mood and atmosphere of the scenery.

• Some of my most productive trips have included river travel, rapids and waterfalls.

 

Do you have any interesting stories from this artistic journey in nature?

Dan

I took a trip a few years ago travelling to the east side of Algonquin Park and launched my canoe on Cedar Lake.  My destination was Catfish Lake.  There are a number of portages, one of which is 2345 metres long. 

I paddled across Cedar Lake and portaged beside the Petawawa River.  On this first portage I stopped to view a wonderful waterfall and take photos.  (I will show a painting of this waterfall in a show themed on the rivers of Algonquin Park at the Algonquin Art Centre this summer- 2012)

 This is one of two waterfalls on the stretch of river running between Cedar and Catfish Lakes.

There are campsites along the river if you want to break up the trip traveling distance, but I wanted to get to Catfish so I did it in one day.  It was August and the temperature was 31 degrees Celsius.  I finished my potable water on the last portage.  While canoeing I found an island campsite in the northern portion of the lake and set up my tent, boiled some water and had a good rest.

The lake is split into two large sections and each has a set of islands. The sunset provided a great opportunity to take pictures before the day ended.  The next morning I woke up early and was rewarded with an incredible sunrise with lots of rising mist.  It was a truly magical scene all around the lake and I paddled furiously taking pictures to capture the fast changing scenery.

As I get older, I doubt that I’ll be able to make this kind of strenuous trip again but the memories from this trip will be with me for a lifetime.

 

When is your favourite time of year to canvas and paint in nature?

Dan

One of my favourite times to be out in nature is the fall.  It is often hard to plan these excursions because the change in colour is hard to predict.  I have captured the colour changes at the peak a couple of times and have been rewarded with incredible colour shows.

I am fortunate to have a friend who lives close to Frontenac Park.  He keeps an eye on the colour change around the area and often calls me to visit the park region and canoe the lakes.

Some of the paintings that have been created from these trips to Frontenac Provincial Park are among my favourites.

 

Copyright -  Dan Werstuk

 

Where are other new Ontario outdoor locations you are planning to visit and paint?

Dan

I usually take four or five trips each year between May and October.  This spring (2012) I am returning to the area north of Elliot Lake with a few friends.  It’s another beautiful area with lots of rivers and lakes to explore and the fishing can be quite good as well.  

I will likely return to Killarney again as I have only briefly started to explore that area.  I would like to finish the year with a visit to Lake Superior Provincial Park in the fall with my wife.

 

 What have been your favourite or most enjoyable Ontario outdoor places to paint?

Dan

There are a few places that stand out in my memory that have been great places to paint, camp and canoe.

These places include the Catfish Lake trip across Cedar Lake and traveling up the Petawawa River.  Another is Rock Lake in Algonquin Park where I went several times when my painting career first started.  Upper Mace Lake, north of Elliot Lake is also one of my favourites. 

I am always listening to people to find places they recommend in hopes of adding them to my list of memorable Ontario outdoor destinations.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dan Werstuk for his gracious time and insight into what inspires him to paint magnificent canvas and pastel art pieces which he shares with others.

Dan’s professional career as an artist began in 1990, working in soft pastel and focusing on Ontario landscapes.  Currently, he is also producing large oil paintings on canvas.  Dan focuses on realism in his work and it is the attention given to the reflections in the water, or the early morning mist rising from the lake that sets his work apart from others.

 

Copyright -  Dan Werstuk

 

You can view more of Dan Werstuk artwork by visiting the official Dan Werstuk website and learn more about Dan’s work.