Positively Perfect Prince Edward Island
Growing up on the Canadian Albertan prairies, my summers were spent camping out in the middle of nowhere, often in treeless flat plains stationed near our rare but precious lakes. Ironically, even though I am a prairie gal, I have always been drawn to water. I have only had three trips to the ocean, two to the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of British Columbia, and one to the Atlantic Ocean, Prince Edward Island.
This summer while gazing longingly at my favourite photographs of Prince Edward Island that I have very carefully and lovingly arranged on my dining room wall, an overwhelming desire overcame me to revisit the ocean and Prince Edward Island.
As it turned out, we never made it to the ocean, but my heART journeyed there through my photography and then back again to the prairie on my canvas.
I am a collector of old maps and atlases, and I decided to use them to assist me in creating my painting. I used them to create charming lobster boats, luscious trees and happy little colourful fishing shanties.
In the background I used old sheet music, as music is such an important part of the culture in PEI. We visited a fishing shanty where there was good old fashioned fiddle music. Peoples' feet were a tappin', hands were a clappin', smiles were a grinnin', and traditional French folk songs danced in my heart. I remember sitting their with my family, as happy as heron in a stream full of fish, with tears in my eyes, thinking," I am home! My dad, a prairie boy, would love this!"
In the background are also little blurbs from my favourite novel, "Anne of Green Gables" which takes place in Prince Edward Island... oh a kindred spirit indeed. I painted in a few details, such as the fishing dock, a buoy, rocks, a few trees and power poles and lobster traps. I also painted a few circles to represent how bubbly and magical I felt and how welcomed the friendly people there made me feel. I am so excited that I finally made some time to put on the finishing touches on this little painting of positively enchanting Prince Edward Island!
Viola! A positively perfect reminder of Prince Edward Island!
To warm your hearts and cold winter bodies, here are a few of my photographs from our visit to Prince Edward Island several summers ago!
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Happy Paint Party Friday!
Thanks for leaving comments, they sure do warm my Canadian heart!
Little fishing shanties! Clever way to fill them and they are just totally charming!
ReplyDeleteLove your imagintive use of music paper and old maps in your art, just beautiful. And I LOVED seeing the pics of prince Edward Island, when I first read Anne of Green Gables as a kid I tried to imagine what it was like there - it is one of my magical books which I can read and reread. Greetings from Rhineland, Valerie
ReplyDeleteGorgeous Renee...I knew it was PEI just by the photos...I've never been there! I take the ocean for granted but would never want to move away from it! It's a wonderful conduit to spirit...I love it there in all seasons!
ReplyDeleteI love the depth you got in this mixed media piece!! Very Canadiana!!
Hugs Giggles
Hello Renee! This piece you created is truly beautiful! I really love it!!
ReplyDeletereally beautiful photos -I so miss being by the ocean too but I'm lucky to live but a few hours away. Your painting is gorgeous-it truly shows the you have for this special place. Love your use of the maps.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful post, just filled with wonderful photos! But I really love the PEI art! Using the maps is a stroke of genius. Love it.
ReplyDeleteYou have such lovely photos and artwork!
ReplyDeleteLove your little painting. I'd be exploring it looking for the message in the collaged text for a long time. :) Well done. Your flowers are making me look so forward to summer. I'm not much of a winter person. Good thing that I live in Vancouver then...lol. Hope you're having a lovely Sunday. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful post! Both your photography and your art are marvelous and incredibly beautiful. You make Prince Edward Island like a place I want to visit. I know the BC coast and I love it - one of my favorite places in this world. Your painting is beautiful, I love the use of old maps and sheet music. That's right down my alley. Your painting is calm and very peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love your collaged landscape. It's so quaint, it makes me want to be there. Happy belated PPF and Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOh wow Renee! I love how you incorporated all those little things in your painting. It must have a very special meaning to you now! Your use of those maps is brilliant. Great work!
ReplyDeleteOh how I long to visit the sea! You have created such a gorgeous fishing inlet, makes me want to go there right now : ) I very much like the map wall papering on the little homes, very lovely.
ReplyDeleteAnnabelle xx
such a lovely island piece!!
ReplyDeletewonderful also to see your photographs.
This is a beautiful piece of art very well done. The photos are lovely too.
ReplyDeleteNicole/Beadwright
Ah, a kindred spirit!!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading the Anne books, and am always so touched by the quality of writing when I revisit them! So this post in your lost of topics caught my eye.
I love the way you've utilized the maps, music and excerpts from the books tho create this lovely mixed media piece! It turned out so well, & your photos are great. I love Ann hour from the Pacific ocean, and it's always a treat to visit!