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Bon Echo, Lake Mazinaw & Mazinaw Rock Mini Series 2024
Bon Echo, Lake Mazinaw & Mazinaw Rock Mini Series
I'm currently working to create a mini series specifically of Mazinaw Rock located within Bon Echo Provincial Park located in Southeastern Ontario. The series will consist of 3 - 4 paintings, watercolours from being on location, lots and lots of photographs and anything else I feel inspired to create ( leaving the door open for the unforeseen).
Mazinaw Rock rises approx. 330 ft above Mazinaw Lake. Mazinaw Rock is known for its indigenous pictographs and the imposing size of the cliff. Mazinaw rock is the largest indigenous rock art site in the southern Canadian Shield in 1982 it was designated a National historic site of Canada.
This area has a colourful past also engraved on the cliff is a very large quote by poet Walt Whitman. Ironically in 1919 and commissioned by early feminist, and successful business woman Flora McDonald Denison, she had started the Canadian Suffrage Association and was also a proponent of the arts, especially writing. When she and her husband owned the Bon Echo Inn it was turned it into a haven for artists and thinkers, an artistic and intellectual retreat in the Ontario wilderness where they could work and relax and create. The quote reads
“MY FOOTHOLD IS TENON’D AND MORTISED IN GRANITE
I LAUGH AT WHAT YOU CALL DISSOLUTION
AND I KNOW THE AMPLITUDE OF TIME.”
As I toured the Bon Echo area I think to myself, as an artist and looking at this in 2024 over 100 years later, that was then and this is now.
Mazinaw Rock itself is over 330 ft. high. Lake Mazinaw has a permitter of 49 km and an astounding depth of close to 500ft. making it one of the deepest lakes in Ontario. It is located in the headwaters of the Mississippi River watershed. The lake is divided into two basins and is home to Bon Echo Provincial Park. The Boundaries of Bon Echo Provincial Park protect is approximately. 20,000 acres of this diverse ecosystem with its natural rugged beauty. The park is within the boundaries of both North Frontenac and Lennox & Addington county.
I've spent most of my career painting "wilderness" Bon Echo Provincial Park is a beautifully maintained provincial park, well worth visiting for anyone. I continue to work to create my artistic representation of Mazinaw Rock and the surrounding area and look forward to sharing that will you as I progress. For your reading enjoyment I also found this case study of Mazinaw Rock and the Bon echo Area here
Bon Echo was named for the acoustic properties of the rock surrounding the Lake. Mazinaw, comes from Algonquin words “Mazinaabikinigan-zaaga'igan,” meaning “painted-image ,picture” or “writing,” The Rock ( Cliff) on Lake Mazinaw, and the surrounding area, is significant for the region’s Indigenous Peoples, evidenced by the more than 250 pictographs.
I am spending the summer months and fall in the area and surrounding area exploring Bon Echo, Lake Mazinaw and beyond. Understandably, the area has been painted by hundreds of artists. My vision and goal are to create a mini-series that is original and is not simply painted from a visual perspective but understands to the best of my ability the area, the history, and the significance. I hope to have the series completed by the end of 2024.
Through my art, I aim to articulate my unique perspective and interpretation though my artwork and to share that with you in the near future. Below are some images or sketches I have done while in the area a "glimpse" as I work to create. You can also find me on Instagram for more current updates. @wind.rock.ridge.art.gallery, and more images from my summer of exploring this area can be found at https://windrockridgeartgallery.ca/gallery its actually more like my 'artists Journal' hope you can check it out.
© Shelley Leach 2024
Painting 1 in my mini series completed Sept 1, 2024 is
"The Shapeshifter" painting Image below - this is a natural outcropping on Mazinaw Rock most certainly resemblance of wildlife that would inhabit the area. Upon first glance I though, that's a frog or a turtle then my process started. When I arrived at the beach after the canoe trip along side the cliff and gentleman and lady said did you see the eagle? I knew what they were speaking of and this is when I started to vision how this natural outcropping can be so significant. The facial feature can literally "shapeshift" from aquatic to birds. Painting this my thought process goes much deeper and as my series continues I will elaborate further. I'm very happy with this original painting. I had no idea what I would be creating with this series and had no plan I'm finally starting to "connect". This painting has not been added to my original work available for purchase as of yet as I would like to get further in my series. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. All though my sketches and watercolours are part of this series they comprise my "reference material".
Painting 2. 'Echoes of Last Light' painting image below this painting was started in July 2024 and completed Sept 7, 2024
"Echoes of Last Light" is a new painting in my Bon Echo Mazinaw Rock mini-series, capturing the serene moments of the last minutes of daylight casting over Mazinaw Rock/Bon Echo. This painting is set outside Bon Echo Provincial Park, located in Mazinaw Heights.
As day transitions into night, the rock on the cliff emanates a beautiful warm glow, transforming from soft peach and orange hues to crimson at the very last minute before the darkness of the night sky sets in. The shadows gradually envelop the cliff, creating a truly mesmerizing experience that evoked a sense of peace and warmth. The glow of the cliff at this time of day is due to the presence of Feldspar in the makeup of the cliff, Its quite interesting and I'm still learning about it, common gemstones that most people could relate to are moonstone and sunstone. The title "Echoes of Last Light" is meant to convey that same sense of tranquility and capture 'my inspiration' behind the artwork. It was a truly mesmerizing experience. The title "Echoes of Last Light" is meant to elicit that same sense of peace for the viewer .
( Sept 22) first day of fall 2024! I've almost completed my "gathering" of references to complete my project series. I have done two paintings so far, numerous field sketches, as well as thousands of photographs. Now during the next several months I take all I have gathered and complete my " project" series. Although I hope to show in public portions of my project before the end of 2024 I plan to show my completed project if it all works out Spring of 2025 as we all once again start to think about our summers adventures. I'll still have photos, and work to post but for all intense purposes the gathering phase of this project is complete. I'll also post on my other website photos and work created from all the places i visit and work as its created or in process.