Road to Abitibi

                                                    

 I have lived in the town of Temiscaming for over 13 years. A small town in Quebec bordering Ontario. When you enter the town, crossing the bridge  at the same time crossing the Quebec/Ontario border you are met by a pulp and paper mill, the life source of this town . I have lived in pulp and paper towns for the past 25 years  from Terrace Bay, ON to Whitecourt, Alberta and now Temiscaming QC.  What strikes me is that pulp and paper towns are usually situated in the most gorgeous areas in Canada. I love where I live ...I love the area...my family loves the area..I particularly love love love my own backyard which borders the beautiful rock formations and forests that define the area of Abitibi -Témiscamingue.  I look out my window and at times see a fox scurry through the woods , people have seen moose, deer , lynx  and some have claimed to see a cougar and of course the black bears....most people here have some story of a bear encounter. I myself have had a few and I have had them for lunch in my own backyard , stealing apples from my trees.  The birds that frequent this area are abundant and magnificent.  I am an artist and well how could I not want to draw or paint such rich subjects and glorious landscapes.  As I type now I look out to my backyard and the trees are covered in snow ..not a branch is uncovered. I will take my dogs for a walk soon in the woods to more fully impress this image into my mind and  memories.  But as I look in the yard , although not literally there ...I see the fox scurry through, I imagine the lynx that I am dying to paint yet have not seen my self... I imagine it there hidden somewhat behind the trees.  I look up at the trees and see the owls that I so want to paint....even though not there I imagine them there ..... 

So this is me   but I will tell you another story which will lead me back to this particular story of me  the artist , wanting to encapsulate the imagery of the Abitibi- Témiscamingue wildlife and landscape.  I am a city girl born in the sub herbs of Montreal....Greenfield park....I say it proudly as any Greenfield Parker would do..... I lived at 602 White Crescent...my home for almost 50 years even though I moved away in my twenties.  My parents  were the typical parents of the time...hard workers , loving and responsible parents..and like so many,  then and today, had their struggles...I will always remember  from a young age, when things were tough my Mother would always say.."put me on a bus to Abitibi" ...and saying that very randomly knowing little of the region...It was a place far away...an imaginary place that so many parents want to transport themselves to at some time in their lives...It became a catch phrase for her through out her life...not really serious ...kinda funny .. said at times with a smirk...similar to the expression many of us use today...Serenity now... well hers was  "put me on a bus to Abitibi"......As the years went on, well  don't I move to Abitibi Temiscamingue....go figger.... But my parents were ageing and well never able to get out here to visit....so my Mom never had a chance to get on that  bus to Abitibi...which would have been fitting after all those years...... So back to me the artist....I thought what a way  to encapsulate this rich experience of living in this area....Put these images to canvas....a collection of images that if my Mom were here today, she could feel that she truly took that bus to Abitibi and was able to share those images with me.  So this is my ode, if you would call it that,  to my Mom ....Road to Abitibi. I will do a series of paintings capturing the local wildlife, people and more intimate views of the landscape.  These works will be dedicated to my Mom who unbeknownst to herself inspired them...also my Father who , as a artist himself who never was able to pursue   his hobby...showed so much interest when I started painting later in life..that I  always paint with an image of him on my desk. I think of him when I paint ..I think of him often. So I will work hard to present a striking image of this region ..how I see it.  So before the snow falls off the branches I will get out there and truly enjoy my walk in the woods....and maybe just maybe will see that lynx.