Description:

He had been picking blueberries on Shawanaga Island when he looked up to see storm clouds closing in from the north-west. The wind had picked up and the clouds were moving fast. He hadn't noticed, as he was engrossed in moving from berry patch to berry patch in the cracks of the rock around the outcroppings of pines.
He grabbed the berry can and headed for the rowboat.
He jumped in, pushed off and started rowing into the wind, as he had no choice. The Island and it's protected bay, lay around the point, past the wreck…

To make this sculpture I used a piece of vegetable tanned cowhide that I had previously wetted in the lake and walked on in my bare feet to push the damp leather into the crevices and bumps to make the deepest surface impressions I could. Then I left it to dry in the sun and when it was dry, rolled it up and took it back to my studio to add some colour. I dye the leather first with water based dyes then while still damp, I use watered down acrylic paints to finish the process. It dries to a permanent stiff surface.
You can see in the clouds and on the rocks, the impression of the time washed face of the Canadian Shield.

Specifications:

• Sculpture

• 15" x 24"

• 2023