Lac du Pinceau South Basin

by Phil Chadwick

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Dimensions

14.000 x 11.000 x 0.875 inches

Title

Lac du Pinceau South Basin

Artist

Phil Chadwick

Medium

Painting - Oil On Canvas

Description

I decided to look for a quiet place off to the side of Dumoine Road. The boat launch for Lac du Pinceau was perfect for some midday plein air painting. The swimming was actually great as well. A pair of loons greeted me when I arrived. I did not witness any juvenile loons during my stay on the Dumoine. At least one large leopard frog was hiding in the reeds at the shoreline. A bass would frequently charge into the shallows to see what it might find for lunch.

I watch the Langmuir Streaks of cloud gradually get thicker. These mid-level streets of cloud were aligned with the easterly winds being drawn into the approaching low-pressure area. Langmuir Streaks require a modestly unstable layer of atmosphere to develop. Adjacent helical circulations interact to create these parallel streets of cloud separated by relative cloud-free lines of descent. The process is similar to snowsqualls in the winter forming over the warm waters of the Great Lakes.

Some wisps of cumulus fractus were whipping along in the lower-level easterly winds. These fragments of cloud came and went while I painted. The top-lit cumulus were grey little commas that accentuated the weather story that was to develop by late afternoon.

The setup for the approaching convective event was impressive. Some severe thunderstorms were likely - maybe even a tornado. Meanwhile, the winds were calm at the surface except for the odd downdraft gust which rippled the mirror-like surface.

The flag at the beautiful cottage on the sandy point was fitfully undecided. Sometimes the Canadian flag would blow with a weak easterly breeze. The odd time the flag would blow from the west when the wind formed a back eddy blowing around the tall pines to the east. Often, the flag just draped down still.

Later in my week of CPAWS DRAW painting, I discovered that this was "Kenny's Place". I would meet Bob and Kim McDonald who owned the next cottage, "Mack's Shack" to the north. Their generous hospitality during an afternoon of torrential rain would entertain and also inform about the history and roots of the area. In fact, at one time, the boat ramp was owned by Bob's grandfather so they could access their place.

CPAWS-Ottawa Valley has hosted DRAW Retreat for Artists since 2017. DRAW is a clever acronym for Dumoine River Art for Wilderness. I have attended every year except during COVID. There is no better cause. The goals are admirable and ones that I deeply share. The goal is ultimately to make a lasting difference like A.Y Jackson and the Ontario Society of Artists did in the case of Killarney Provincial Park. The impacts of climate change are already being felt. There is no time for dithering.

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August 24th, 2023

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