Experiences

Isle Royale 2023


This past summer I decided to bring my paints and canvas panels along on my hiking trip to Isle Royale with my brother and his son.  It was a good decision as it was one of the most unique painting experiences I have had.  We camped at 3 Mile Campground, Lane Cove, Chickenbone East, and Rock Harbor.  Here are some photos from the trip and of the work I completed.

The National Park sign at Rock Harbor

 

Canvas panel box on my pack

My paint set up weighed under 5 lbs. :)

The Isle Royale Queen taken from Copper Harbor, Michigan

Tobin Harbor on the way to 3 Mile Campground on day 1

Painting from the dock at 3 Mile Campground

View From 3 Mile Campground Isle Royale

Above is the view from the Greenstone Ridge halfway between 3 Mile Campground and Lane Cove.  It was all uphill to this point, and all downhill to Lane Cove.  The white speck you see in the Rock Harbor Lighthouse which is located across from Daisy Farm Campground.

Prime moose country on the way to Lane Cove on day 2

Arrival at Lane Cove Campground

I put my paints in a pill container and used paper pallets while there.

Lane Cove, Isle Royale

Shelter at McCargoe Cove, Isle Royale

Taking the boat from McCargoe Cove around Blake Point back to Rock Harbor

 Scoville Point, Isle Royale

Camping at Rock Harbor

The sunset before our boat to Copper Harbor, Michigan.  We didn't leave until 9:30pm so we had the unique opportunity of crossing Lake Superior at night and were treated to stars and a meteor shower.  Amazing!

 

 

Painting The Wild Places With Dave Gilsvik

May 16-20, 2023

I had another amazing experience while taking this class taught by Dave Gilsvik.  Again, the class was held at Bearskin Lodge on the Gunflint Trail.  The ice had gone out on the lakes the day before I arrived and there was still snow in the shaded areas.  The weather was a variety of sun and rain and I did my best to paint in all conditions.  We even had haze from forest fires unfortunately occuring in Canada.  Below is a painting of the bay at the lodge.  This was after the rain had stopped and we had a surreal sunset.  The mosquitos were out in full force but Dave built the group a campfire to keep them tollerable.  I was able to finish the painting with the help of my nocturne light. 

View of Wampus Lake on Clearwater Lake Road

Cedar tree from the dock at Bearskin Lodge

The view from Clearwater Lodge!

On the final evening, a fellow classmate and I hiked to the West Bearskin Lake overlook on the Caribou Rock Trail.  At the beginning of my painting, it was raining and cloudy.  We even brought tarps just in case.


I waited to paint the sky and was rewarded with the amazing view below.     

After painting at the overlook, we headed to meet the group at Poplar Haus.  Poplar Lake was absolute glass!

 

And if that wasn't enough to fill an amazing day, some of us also had a great show of northern lights over East Bearskin Lake!

Outdoor Painters of Minnesota Paint Out

Art Shanty Project at Lake Harriet

February 12, 2023

 

Painting The Wild Places With Dave Gilsvik

May 2022

This past May I had the unique opportunity to participate in a course taught by Dave Gilsvik. Dave is a renowned painter of the North Shore and Boundary Waters of Minnesota. The class was held at Bearskin Lodge on the Gunflint Trail. We painted at the Lodge and also ventured out into the wilderness. Below are some of the amazing painting experiences I had while taking this class.

Gunflint Lake at 7:00AM on May 19th

Dave and a few of us from the class hiked to the top of Honeymoon Bluff! This overlook is located between the Gunflint Trail and Clearwater Lake. The view includes the expanse of Hungry Jack Lake and West Bearskin Lake to the right. This was a highlight from taking this class! Below is a video of the view we were painting.


VIEW FROM HONEYMOON BLUFF



On another day I decided to head over to Clearwater Lodge. The owners were very kind and let me paint from the dock. You can see photos of my progress below and the view of the Clearwater Palisades!









Clearwater Lake Palisades
Below is the view of East Bearskin Lake from one of the docks at the lodge.




I also had the opportunity to paint at Poplar Lake! While I was there the weather kept changing. Parts of the lake were illuminated by sunlight while other areas were having rain showers.






This was a quick painting, but I think I was able to capture the sun and rain.



I worked on this moose painting each of the 4 nights while staying at Bearskin Lodge.  It is titled "Near Gunflint Lake".  I completed the painting in the studio when I returned home.

I stopped in Grand Marais on my way home. Below is a video that shows Lake Superior and my view of the Sawtooth Mountains while painting at Artist Point.


SAWTOOTH FROM ARTIST POINT
 
 

Ash & Smoke from the Greenwood Lake fire in

August of 2021



I had the opportunity to sit down and talk Joe Friedrichs, the news director of WTIP radio in Grand Marais, MN.
 
 


This painting, entitled 'Artist Point - Grand Marais, MN', was created at noon.
 
While this painting, entitled 'Grand Marais, MN' was created at 3 o'clock.  It is covered with ash that was falling while I was painting.
 
 
Below is a video that shows what transpired with the smoke and ash over Grand Marais.