As a life-long paddling enthusiast, I have always loved the views from the seat of a canoe. The unique perspective creates a look and feeling that is very different than images you see from any other vantage point – and one that is not typically seen unless you are in the boat yourself.

Over the winter I saw a video shot from inside a canoe that captured this feeling – which made me eager to get back on the water myself, but even more so, I couldn’t wait to paint this viewpoint. Rather than take pictures and paint from the photos though, I decided it would be best to capture the real feeling by actually painting in the canoe!

So, since the thaw, I have spent a number of days crouched in my canoe, with my paints and canvas precariously rigged so they (so far) stay reasonably dry. Between the motion of the boat, wrestling with weather and the impossibility of being able to comfortably sit on the floor – I discovered that I need to paint much looser than I usually do. I have found that the result is a look that gets at the feeling of the view and the day but also the process.

My other goal was to paint a large number of these canvases with the vision of showing them all together and creating the feeling of immersion in the beautiful spaces and images of floating in a canoe.

Below are some pictures of my set-up in the canoe

Enjoy,

Jason