Finding Your Place

 I wanted to write this fresh from my trip to Whitefish Falls in Ontario Canada. I booked my cabin early in winter and did some initial planning and research to prepare myself for the week away in Northern Ontario. Little did I know that this trip would result in a feeling of finding my place both in the world at large and within myself.

There are other ways to get to Whitefish Falls, my choice was to drive up and along a route that borders

Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. Once out of the rat-race that is the cities of Hamilton, the GTA and Toronto weaving through the 6 lane 400 series highways you come upon views that likely you’d only seen previously in paintings.

Pushing past the popular area of Muskoka’s you can visibly notice the landscape change as you drive further and further north. When people talk about the Muskoka area and how much they love it, I will often comment “keep driving”. I too used to feel that area was the best it can be. Now I know, keep driving. (of course, it all depends on what you are looking for)

The TransCanada highway has mixed reviews depending on who you talk to. I think it’s a marvelous route that provides amazing views of the great land of Northern Ontario. As you drive further north the rocks along the side of the highway grow larger, taller and begin to dominate the landscape. Trees and forests become bigger, thicker and display unique character. You begin to see more and more of the 250,000 freshwater lakes that Ontario hosts. Yes, its true a ¼ million freshwater lakes in this province. Then as you reach further the road begins to wind through and over mountain-like areas (I say mountain-like as the mountains here in Ontario only reach as high as 2000 feet or so – Hamilton Mountain where I live is 300 ft elevation). The drive is breath-taking.

Some practical advice; keep an eye on your gas level in your vehicle. Gas stations become further and further apart as you head north. Also, good to keep to posted speed limits for safety (some sections are twisty and rough) and to avoid unnecessary tickets. And of course, there is more wildlife found in the north so keep vigilant to the road ahead to avoid harming anything that might wander across the road. I had to steer to avoid a turtle during my trip and saw several deer, porcupine, and skunks along the sides of the road.

I know why people choose to live in the north of Ontario (and Canada) - the feeling. The air is fresh, and everything is so alive and wild. It pulls you out of yourself and makes you take notice of it. Every new turn on the hiking trail reveals another view of massive rocks growing out of the landscape shaped and surrounded by powerful freshwater lakes, rapids, and waterfalls and with massive forests of trees protruding above and between the clusters of rocks. Yes there are bugs. Yes there is wildlife. Yes the weather changes several times a day. Those just make it all the more exciting.

On day four of my trip, I ventured out to take on the scenic trails of Chutes Provincial Park in Massey Ontario. The drive from my homebase in Whitefish Falls was around an hour. I think the drive between Whitefish and Espanola is my favourite stretch. The road carves through the La Cloche mountains and provides outstanding roadside views of a wild Ontario landscape. Chutes Provincial Park is my number one favourite spot at the moment. This was my second visit. And this time weather co-operated, and I ventured out on the full trail hike to see all of the bridge accesses and lookout points. I was literally grinning ear to ear with each new turn on the trail and each new discovery of the power of water as it carved its way through the forest and rocks. Some quick tips: When you decide to go hiking NEVER wear any sort of scent/body spray/perfume/scented shampoos, hair products and soaps etc. Otherwise, you WILL attract all of the bugs. Any hunter or fisher will tell you the best way to reduce your attraction to bugs (mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies, horse flies etc) is to stay stinky. Yep, avoid showering and any type of grooming products as they all have a scent. Another thing I know is that using a product containing deet will help deter insects. The spray I use contains 30% deet and works very well. If you are sweating you may need to reapply. I spray my skin and clothes especially shoes, pants, hats, and neckline. (speaking of shoes, invest in a proper pair of hikers with thick soles that can grip slippery rocks) I hiked 4 hours that day. The trail probably wouldn’t take that long for most people. I was spending most of my time taking hundreds of photos and pausing many times to just stand or sit and observe the scene, taking in the entire experience with all of my senses and establishing some solid memories that I use in my artwork. You see my art is not simply my interpretation of a photo I took from somewhere. My art is the result of lived experiences in nature drawing on all of my senses and allowing the feeling of the place to flow into my work.

I also spent time with Whitefish Falls, watching it from several vantage points at different times of day.
And I drove Manitoulin island as far west as the 540 goes. I enjoyed the bits between the islands when the road becomes surrounded by lakes on either side. The bridge that spans the northern point of the island to the mainland was also pretty neat as it’s a swing bridge and opens to allow water traffic through. The island has a few parks and lookout points that are also interesting, and it has a very healthy and vibrant arts scene.

I stayed in a cabin which I rented from Bay Villa Lodge. Back in its heyday Bay Villa was (and still is) a much celebrated destination for hunters, fishers and outdoor enthusiasts like me. It fell into disrepair by its previous owner, and its current owners have been labouring with love and lots of hard work to restore the cabins, lodge, and docks to their former glory. The cabins are rustic, no Wi-Fi, no tv. They do have heat and hydro, running water and showers. My little two bedroom was perfect for my stay. And I had three amazing views: the channel could be viewed from my bedroom window; a mountain top of La cloche could be seen through the kitchen window and in the rear, a view that featured a small pond-like section that was fed by the channel and hosted lots of wildlife. For a landscape painter like me, it was paradise.

What struck me most were the family of a father and his two daughters who owned and ran the property. I feel they are a classic example of a successful family business. Each morning they were out there, fixing docks, building BBQ’s, tending to repairs, and the dozens of other tasks that needed to be done. Their dedication and love for the property, the land and the guests were unmistakable. One of the daughters told me the story of their father falling in love with the area and the property and determined to bring it back to its beauty. I found it very fitting that the view of the horizon from the channel displayed three tall jack pines huddled together supporting and caring for each other. Right away I recognized the significance of those three trees and their relationship to the strength and determination display by my three hosts. I painted a couple views of these trees. When I showed my hosts the work I had completed over the week – before I had even explained the story of the trees - the father was quick to pick the larger painting that featured those three trees. I am very pleased that they chose that artwork.

I can’t say enough about the hosts of Bay Villa Lodge in Whitefish Falls. I highly recommend that you book your stay with them. (no, I don’t receive any remuneration for this story - its all true and its how I feel) This wonderful family has truly found their place.

My last day I spent painting and soaking in as much of the feeling of this fabulous area as I could.

Saturday morning, I awoke early and was in the car by 2am heading south towards Stouffville-Whitchurch where the Art in the park show was being held. I arrived there around 7:30am, setup my market tent and art displays and spent the day talking to all of the wonderful people who came to the event to purchase art. The show ended at 5pm and I repacked the car and headed home to Hamilton arriving around 7:30pm. I cheated at bit, taking the 407 toll route instead of dealing with the super heavy traffic of the 404, 400 and 401.   

During my trip there were many times when I just felt at home, even though I had never been there before. I felt I had found my place, a place where I could allow the wildness to surround me and become a part of its power, beauty, and history. While I still plan to take time to travel and paint across this great country of Canada in the near future, I also feel that the area of Whitefish Falls is my place. It’s a place I can see myself staying permanently. Building a home that I can share with my girls and their new (future) families, building a livelihood, and sharing it all through my artwork with others so that they too can enjoy the greatness of the north.  

“the best views are always along the side of the road. Take time to savour the journey.” - CAH