Prairies & Lakes Series (Part 1)

Back in March I finished a painting series and started a new one, all exactly as Canada went into Lock-down because of Covid-19. As I finished my British Horticulture (2019-2020) series I had visions of a new found freedom and taking some time to plunge my feet into this next series fully. But that idea quickly dissipated, since on the day I started my first painting of this new series I also saw my city readying to go into lock-down. Thankfully I did have a couple of days of freedom in between where I was not painting and got to go out and experience life outside before retreating again.  

Now onto the new series itself! This series focuses on Canadian lakes and prairies in Saskatchewan, specifically around Jackfish Lake, which is a short drive north of North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

My parents are originally from Saskatchewan so growing up we would drive back and forth across the prairies between Alberta and Saskatchewan every year as a family. For our summer vacations we would drive up to my Grandmother’s cabin at Jackfish Lake year after year. The lake became one of my favourite places in the world. There is little better than sitting lakeside with its sandy beach with its surrounding crop fields just behind the cabins. 

This annual ritual comes with its own unique adventures every year while simultaneously seemingly never changing. With the same views, the same smells, and the same boats greeting me every year and I look forward to it all every year. 

One of my favourite things about these visits to Jackfish lake are the quiet still early mornings when only the birds and early morning fishers are out on the water and the sun sits high in the pale blue sky.

When I was younger I was oblivious to the agriculture surrounding the lake, because I was completely focused on the swimming and beach aspect of being at the lake. But when I was 18 one of my favourite parts became morning walks over to the neighbouring beach with my Mum. The walk cuts across a hill in between crop fields and follows the main road of the neighbouring beach. The neighbouring beach which is surrounded by trees, Saskatoon berry bushes, and is inhabited by multitudes of birds and a few precious Snowshoe Hares that you will only see if you go early and the road is still quiet.

This idyllic oasis and the photographs I have accumulated over the years has formed the basis of this new series I have ventured into. Many of the images I have pulled come from the backfields lining the lake, with a few lakefront images as well. 

I hope that you enjoy this series as it comes. I have fittingly named it Prairies and Lakes (2020 - ongoing). It is a very different setting from my last series of paintings as it includes even more greenery, which I did not think was possible in comparison! Now the chances I get to use my crimson and purple paints has become even more precious. I have about 20 photos picked out for the series, four of which have been fully realized as paintings so far.

Ultimately, I think this series will be ongoing even past the 20 initial images I have pulled. As the prairies and Jackfish Lake are continuous parts of my life. However this might not be done/completed as rigidly and linearly as my last few series were. As the minimum of this series seems to be double the size of my other series and there is a temptation to break up painting the green-centric prairie paintings with botanical paintings as an excuse to use my warm toned paints which feel woefully neglected when I paint green fields continuously. 

I’m sure I will have more to share about this series overtime, like perhaps my struggle to paint convincing grass, since this post is more of an introduction to the context of this series!

Lakes and Prairies,

L. C. Cariou