Last summer Debbie and I spent a week in Agawa beach campground in Lake Superior Provincial Park. I had seen a painting by AY Jackson that I know was painted on a beach near Wawa. It was used on one of the Moments of Algoma interpretive installations on Sandy Beach. It is a good thing that I researched the location before I went because the painting location is not on the beach that the interpretive installation is on. Using topo maps and google maps satellite view I figured where I thought the most likely location was.
On the left is AY Jackson's "Shoreline, Wawa" which I believe was painted in 1955. I knew that it was painted somewhere near this location and my research paid off. I had to walk a bit and climb over a rugged rocky point to get to the small cove where he painted but the very distinctive lone rock on the shore told me that I was there. |
This is my interpretation of the same scene. I met Jackson at the McMichael Gallery back in the early seventies but I wasn't an artist at the time and I had no idea the impact that he would have on me in later years. He was signing reproductions of his paintings and I elected not to purchase one. Oh if I had only known. |
I am very excited about this painting. I think that it is one of my best however it may be the story behind it is biasing my opinion of how good it is. Does anyone have any thoughts? How about you Mary?