Canadian Landscapes and Land Formations
June 30, 2020From the wild shores of the Maritimes through to the majestic banks of the Saint Lawrence, across the expansive, golden grandeur of the Prairies, up the jagged, insurmountable peaks of the Rockies and down to the mirrored waters of the Juan de Fuca Strait, our nation’s full of epic landscapes. Depending on where we live, we’ll experience very different terrain, but the richness of our vast and varied topography seems ingrained in our psyches. It evokes deep musings, unifies us and taps into a national identity, helping define what it means to be Canadian.
David Ivanchikov – Icefields Parkway, AB
I’m a 15 year old artist from Edmonton, Alberta. The Icefields Parkway runs from Jasper to Banff. When I was younger, my family would drive out to Jasper National Park every weekend. One of my favourite places ever is the part of the highway where it climbs way up high to the Columbia Icefield. The views are spectacular. It feels so much like home to me. I think the Rocky Mountains have become an iconic landmark and a symbol for all of Canada.
Sometimes when I think about all the undeveloped land and wilderness in our country, places that probably no human has ever experienced before, it blows my mind. There is just so much emptiness around us. I think that the feeling is amplified in a place like Jasper. We only witness what can be seen from the road or the trail that we’re on. For me it’s a metaphor for people’s biases – we don’t know what we don’t know.
Stella Marin – Peggy’s Cove, NS
Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia is a little fishing village I visited along the south shore of the province. It is typical of the east coast with houses along the narrow inlet. The ocean-washed rocks have a beautiful, smooth, almost light rose colour to them. I sat gazing on top of the ridge and photographed this view to paint once I returned home.
Ed Hughs – Juan de Fuca, BC
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a few hundred yards from my studio and this is what happens day by day. Small tugs pull huge barges and freighters come and go, crossing the Pacific to Vancouver. It is beautiful and marvelous, reminding us that in the grand scheme of things, we are small!
Janet Szulga – Isle Of The Cormorants, QC
I was fascinated by the community of birds who build so many nests per tree that their acidic droppings kill their hosts. The rocky outcroppings of this island make a beautiful counterpoint to the majestic St. Lawrence River.
Margaret Minyoung Park – ‘Staycation’, Buntzen Lake BC
Sending a virtual hug from Buntzen Lake! What amazes me about BC’s nature and landscape is that it’s so readily available for us. We can go to the mountains, oceans, lakes and rivers… I know it’s not this easy in a lot of other parts of the world. Where we live, staycations aren’t hard at all.
AB Lambert – ‘Passage I’, SK
This triptych is a reflection on my life across this land. Evocations of my youth spent along the banks of the St Lawrence River are symbolically superimposed with the Canadian prairies, my current home.
This week we’ve moved onto the theme of Landmarks and Architecture. Are you up for the challenge? Buildings, bridges, totems, statues – these structures don’t necessarily have to be iconic – we’d love to see any Canadian construction that interests you. In order to be considered for our article, please don’t forget to include a written description telling us why you’ve chosen to depict your subject. Thanks so much for continuing to share your work! We can’t wait to see more.