Travel & Inspiration | Page 3 | Claustro

Western Islands, Georgian Bay Adventure · Aug 31, 02:56 pm

We were invited on an adventure of a lifetime while living here in Midland. A flotilla was scheduled to go to the Western Islands last Saturday August 28 from Thunder Beach. We were invited to share in this adventure in a 30 foot Boston Whaler. The whaler is known as one of the best Georgian Bay boats, able to smoothly cut through the large swells that Georgian Bay is noted for. And since the Western Islands are known as the most exposed Islands on the East side of Georgian Bay, and with swells of over 1 metre were in the forecast for that day, we were happy to be in this majesty of a boat. The Western Islands are the only ‘land’ between Parry Sound and the Lion’s Head of the Bruce Peninsula.

What a trip! Unfortuneately due to the high winds, none of the boats of the flotilla attempted the trip except for us – well one boat attempted but turned back just before Hope Island … but what a great day. Not a cloud in the sky!

It was our first time beyond Hope Island since moving to this area – (way too busy with our artwork, and still fixing our land bound Bertram boat) … so we were so excited to have the opportunity to get out there in Georgian Bay, where hopefully we will be venturing next summer with our own boat.

What a sight of inspiration! Hope Island disappears quite quickly, then nothing. Very little sight to land anywhere. Just open water.

The Boston Whaler was a sweet ride … the Captain was tremendous at steering the boat into the swells, so there was little pounding … just the occasional smashing of waves, then relief from the heat, as we were sprayed by water.

Within 20 minutes of open water wave running, aye captaine pointed out the Islands, way off in the distance … they looked like white mirages floating above the horizon … very cool.

Another 20 minutes, and we came upon them …. WOW is all I can say. The photos should tell the rest of the tale.

Unbelievable colours, reminding me of the caribbean … except the water is perhaps 20 degrees colder (it was nippy … refreshing).

I could easily spend a week there exploring.

We took the inflatable dingy to shore to do some exploring on land, and after finally finding a place to anchor within the centre of the Islands, we had some lunch, and set off to take a ride around the Lighthouse of the Western Western Islands.

After doing some research, I found out that the Lighthouse is the last remaining wooden Lighthouse of the Great Lakes, built in 1895. GORGEOUS sight. Apparently, the keepers would live in Lighthouse for months at a time … very isolated. Imagine how much painting and reading you could accomplish living there.

What a tremendous trip. We met great people and had some good laughs. Thank you to the captaine and his lovely wife, Judy, Craig and the kids for this inspirational trip. After over 400 photos, I think I have my next series.

— Carol Currie

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Willisville Mountain vs Vale Update with Globe and Mail · Jun 8, 10:28 pm

Jon Butler of the La CLoche Mountain Preservation Society See website for details has been on the phone and interviewed by CTV, CBC, Sudbury Star, Sault Star, Northern Life, and the Globe and Mail, all published articles today June 8, 2010.

Both Jon and myself were interviewed by Ann Hui of the Globe and Mail regarding our positions as artists and local residents about the potential mining of Willisville mountain by Vale.

Unfortuneately the native concerns to the land, spoken by Christi Belcourt, was edited out along with my hopes that someone can purchase the land to permanently protect the mountain, perhaps through a Land Trust, much like our local Georgian Bay Land Trust protects Islands between Midland and Parry Sound.

It is my hopes that the land is protected from any mining for future generations so that we can preserve a historical, and cultural icon.

See Globe and Mail Article

— Carol Currie

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Thunder Beach, Georgian Bay, Looking at Giant's Tomb · May 25, 02:07 pm

The Thunder Beach Association has asked me to line up a few artists to host their FIRST ANNUAL Art Exhibition at their Clubhouse this Summer, dated for Sunday July 18 1-5pm – open to the public.

So I took advantage of this great weekend weather to head up to the beach and take some measurements of the building and property to determine the layout of the show. It’s going to be a FANTASTIC lineup of a dozen eclectic artists. More details to follow in the next blog – with photos and links to each artist’s website.

So of course, while I was there, I visited the beach to take some photos to become artworks for sale at the show. I can’t believe that GORGEOUS “bonsai” appearing Pine Tree!!! Woohoo. And beyond, you can see Giant’s Tomb. I will be painting the works through my sunglasses – with a polarizing lens to bring out the greens in the water. Unfortuneately my camera doesn’t have that filter yet, but it was truly like a Northern Ontario Caribean scene.

— Carol Currie

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Willisville Mountain, West Entrance to Killarney Provincial Park, is at RISK · May 25, 01:29 pm

Pictures speak louder than words! The first two photos of this blog show a BEFORE and AFTER shot of a new area VALE Inco is expanding into. These are new operations outside of the present Lawson Quarry site. The photos were taken on Sunday, May 16 and Monday, May 17 from the lookout on the Willisville Road. I welcome everyone to comment on this issue as this is so near and dear to my heart. This is a sensitive historical area. It is a legacy area where Group of Seven Artists came to paint and sketch. For more details of this, follow this link to Friends of Killarney Provincial Park where many of the paintings and sketches are borrowed from the McMichael Gallery.

On Friday, May 14, and only by sheer luck, Jon Butler, local resident and member of the La Cloche Mountain Preservation Society was informed by a VALE Inco employee that they would be opening a new aggregate quarry and crusher at the west end of Frood Lake. This is the forested area between the Willisville Road and Lawson Quarry where a pickerel pond is located. The pickerel pond operates between May and July each year and it is run by local volunteers. Jon is a volunteer to start the water pumps each day and this is how he came in contact with the VALE Inco employee.

This new aggregate site is approximately 550 yards from the Village of Willisville, which is also the WEST Entrance to Killarney Provincial Park and Grace Lake.

There was no communication whatsoever between VALE Inco and the Willisville residents, lodge owners or land owners who will be directly impacted by this expansion.

There was no environmental study or public forum before this expansion.

On Monday, May 17 Jon visited the MNR office in Espanola to view the aggregate licence #20568 that covers this new operation. The licence was grandfathered in in 1998 and a site plan was registered in 2001. There were no environmental studies or public forums required and none were held. There are no time lines required on the site plan or licence.

Licence #20568 also includes Willisville Mountain.

The La Cloche Mountains Preservation Society will be dedicated to save Willisville Mountain. Further information and regular updates may be obtained by contacting Jon Butler at willisvillemountain@gmail.com , on Facebook, at The Willisville Mountain page and at www.lacloche.ca.

I encourage everyone to get their local radio stations to play selections from the Willisville Mountain CD by Ian Tamblyn CD. The song ‘Take the Mountain Down’ is very appropriate. Copies are available through www.lacloche.ca

The Sudbury Star contacted Jon in this regard and the Story became front page headlines written by reporter Harold Carmichael, Saturday May 22, 2010 News Edition Article

Here is some excerpt’s from this article.

Willisville Mountain at risk
VALE INCO
Posted By HAROLD CARMICHAEL THE SUDBURY The Village of Willisville, which has a population of about 55, is located on Highway 6 between Espanola and Little Current. Willisville Mountain is situated in the heart of the La Cloche Mountains — an almost two billion-year-old mountain range.
Forty-five artists came together in 2009 to create the Willisville Mountain Project, an art project dealing with the four seasons. An exhibit opened in Willisville in July 2009 and will travel until August 2010.
Butler said Willisville Mountain, which was once home to a fire tower and was the scene of filming with the television seriesAdventures in Rainbow Country,is the highest point in the area and draws lots of hikers annually who come for the spectacular view. Willisville Mountain is also associated with many Group of Seven painters, such as A.J. Casson, A.Y. Jackson and Franklin Carmichael, he said.
“We are not against development,” said Butler. “There has to be mining in Northern Ontario, but there must be somewhere else available, an alternative to this … We consider it of historical significance, just by the art history alone. And it’s right beside Highway 6.”
One of the Group of Seven paintings in the permanent collection at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinberg, noted Butler, is A.J. Casson’sFrom Willisville Mountain.The painting will be featured as part of the In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven exhibition, which opens today at the gallery.

— Carol Currie

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Sunny Weekend of February 21st · Feb 21, 10:06 pm

Maybe it was the sunshine, but I was highly motivated to complete these two paintings this weekend. The first painting is the same one as shown in the previous blog as a work in progress … well, now it is finally completed. As well, I completed another commission – a much smaller scale comparatively at 12 × 48 … but is still a perfect size.

Through all this painting, I still managed to get down to the 11th Concession to follow the shoreline of the Bay at Cawaja Beach. The Bay is finally starting to get a thin layer of ice throughout. This will make a beautiful painting when I get to it. Since I haven’t attempted ice floats before, it will require some special thought.

— Carol Currie

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