"The Cadillac of Cabins at KML"

This is probably the most expensive and secluded cabins offered for guests of the Killarney Mountain Lodge. It would be a great place for a family to spend a week. I was very pleased with this effort. The composition and colours came together very well.

"George Lake East Basin"

This is the remarkable view from Camp site 77 overlooking George Lake. Several canoes came and went while I painted. They barely even stirred the mirrored surface of the lake.

Stormy Night on Killarney Bay

"Stormy Night" is the name of the 39 year old sailing boat operated by the Killarney Mountain Lodge. It just happened to be sailing past the western light of Killarney Channel as I was working on that portion of the painting. It was a beautiful fall day and not a "stormy night" at all!

Flags

The next task on my agenda was to practice the handling of the Killarney trees. The pines are heavily flagged to the northeast due to the prevailing and strong southwesterly onshore flows. I worried at the start but it turned out very well indeed. It did capture the scene without painting each pine needle.This scene is in the appropriately named Red Rcok Bay.

"Mahzenazing Dam"

It was still only 10 Celsius and the wind made it feel much colder. It was an awkward place to set up an easel but I liked the curve of the beaver dam in the foreground and the colours in the trees and how they were reflected and refracted in the water. This was an active dam as witnessed by the fresh greenery added to the top and the nearby and fresh beaver "chews". Darn it was cold though! My hands can't take the cold ever since I froze them in the 1990's.

In Google and Map Source, this waterway is called the "Megazing River". I got the name from the road sign which I trust!

Club Island

This is the view to the west from the lawn of a "for sale" cottage on the northeast tip of Club Island. The cottage is in need of repair. Raccoons and skunks were living under the cottage, having removed some of the wood fencing that was designed to keep them out. This is the third day of the 10th Annual  International Plein Air Painters Paint Out. We have 20 artists participating in the Rockport Event which was cosponsored by the Rockport Development Group. The wave action from the passing tours boats came crashing into the little bay.

Fish Rock

This is swimming hole for all of the kids of Rockport looking east at around 2 pm on Saturday September 10th, 2011. This is also the second day of the 10th Annual  International Plein Air Painters Paint Out. We have 20 artists participating in the Rockport Event which was cosponsored by the Rockport Development Group. One of the next generation of Rockport kids kept me company while we both painted.

Rockport IPAP Paint Out - A Wonderful Three Days of Creativity

Twenty artists painted and ate for three days amoung the Thousand Islands at Rockport, Ontario. It was a wonderful time with close to 100 works of art completed. I managed seven... and I will show a couple of them here.

"999 2 Go"

This is Fancy Rock Island from the dock of Pine Island looking east at 9:30 am on Friday September 9th, 2011. Having painted one island of a 1000 explains the mathematical title.

"Zavicon Island"

painted from a small patch of grass on the south slope of Pine Island looking south at around 2 pm.

"Ishpeming "

The tugboat is a bit dented but has a lot of proud character. An internet search revealed that the name Ishpeming comes from the Anishinaabe language ishpiming, meaning "on top" or "from above" or "upon high." Ishpeming, in the Ojibwa dialect of the Anishinaabe language, also means "Heaven".

Rockport, Ontario - International Plein Air Painters (IPAP) Worldwide Paint Out in the Heart of the Thousand Islands

The Historic Waterfront Village of  Rockport in the Heart of the Thousand Islands is sponsoring the 10th International Plein Air Painters (IPAP) Worldwide Paint Out. The itineary can be found at ww.rockport1000islands.com ... The village organization of Rockport Development Group will be your host and start your weekend experience with a welcome breakfast on Friday morning followed by a tour of the various locations for painting. There will be transportation available to take any artist to an island location, if this is your choice, but there are numerous unique locations on the mainland if boating is not your desire. Each evening there will be a dinner offered at one of the local waterfront restaurants and a topical speaker will do a pre-dinner presentation.

We hope you can make it. It is hoped that this will be the first in a long tradition....

Great news...my Southampton Courses are both full...

Southampton Art School - "Making Waves on Chantry Island"- August 22 - August 24, 2011Spend 3 full days learning the fine points of painting water and everything surrounding it - the first day on Chantry Island - day 2 and 3 in the studio working from your sketches. The prime themes in Phil's work are weather patterns and how they affect water and skies and he'll share his secrets of painting a great lake's great moods in this workshop.
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Southampton Art School - "Killarney Paint Escape" October 3 - October 7, 2011
Participants are to arrange their own transportation and accommodation/meals package at Killarney Mountain Lodge. 1(800) 461-1117
Escape to Group of Seven country and paint "en plein-air" with Phil the Forecaster Chadwick. The fall colours of the trees and granite ridges will expand your palette and spark your creativity. Killarney Provincial Park and Georgian Bay provide outstanding artistic opportunities against the expansive skies of Canadian weather. Killarney Mountain Lodge accommodates the artists and the menu is delicious!
Daily morning trips will be to different locations to explore the elements of design that the landscape offers. Afternoons are free to develop your work. There will be a full day excursion to the Lodge's wilderness camp in the park interior, superb for creating on shore or from a canoe or kayak ($35 additional fee). Practiced plein-air painters will enjoy this back-to-nature experience. Phil's passion and techniques for capturing the essence of the moment are equal to his love for passing them on.
This paint escape is in tribute to his friend and fellow artist Jane Champagne.

Summer Arts Fest August 13th in Public Square, Watertown NY

The North Country Arts Council (NCAC - www.nnyart.org) is holding it's third annual Summer Arts Fest August 13th in Public Square, Watertown NY on August 13th.Traffic is restricted from one side of the square where tents are set up for various vendors and entertainment (bands, dance, etc.) are conducted. Bob Heddon is organizing the  Plein Air Event for the Summer Arts Fest and has asked me to be the judge. I will do my best but I see something great in all art...

Racing the Rain

I decided to paint from the dead-end scenic road south of Burk's Falls. It was a race with the weather. The cirrostratus had thickened overnight and bands of altostratus were streaking across the southern horizon with the warm conveyor belt of the spring storm. These same winds produced gravity waves in the cloud above the warm frontal surface. At the ground I had a raw, damp easterly wind chilling me and my hands to the bone. The temperature might have been plus 6 Celsius but it felt much colder. The painting was a bit of a race against the weather. I had to get it done before the altostratus switched to nimbostratus and rain. I made it with 5 minutes to spare.

Algonquin Spruce Sentinel

I painted from the wooden bridge looking northeast across the flood plain of the South Magnetawan River and the mix of trees - some alive and some dead! It was a beautiful spring day and much too nice to miss. Note the altocumulus in gravity wave patterns. I was very pleased with the resulting sketch of the dead spruce tree.

Magnetawan Morning

On day two of the Nickle Paint-Out we headed to the South Magnetawan River and stopped when theForestry Tower Road got too soft and sloppy. Lawrence was leery of getting his truck stuck in the mud. I painted from the wooden bridge looking southward toward the shaded hillside. The sun was on my left shoulder. It was a beautiful spring day.

Forest Shadows

I don't normally paint looking into the sun, especially across a reflective surface like snow and ice but this was an exception. I liked the shadows that rolled down the snowy slope. I wanted to see if I could capture the moment of the strongly back lit forest. Cirrostratus from the approaching spring storm was already starting to veil the sun.

Spring Marsh - Algonquin

This is the first painting of my spring break-out paint out with Lawrence Nickle. This is on the Rain Lake Road looking northward across the marsh. There was a strong current in the culvert under the road. There was a chilly northwest wind ahead of the ridge of high pressure. It made me think that Lawrence had the right idea painting in his truck. The sun felt warm on my back but it was still chilly.

Leave It For Beaver!

The beavers gnaw on hardwoods to wear down their incisors. The tree in the foreground has been the target for several years but was still surviving in spite of the attack. My brother Jim and many others have a hate on for the beaver and their damage to forests. I try to see the bigger environmental picture. There is some good that comes from the beaver dam building and tree cutting along the water's edge. It is also quite futile to battle Mother Nature so I prefer to tolerate these tree attacks and "leave if for the beaver". This is also a take off on the title of the favourite TV show of the 1950's that Jim and I loved to watch. He thought I was the "beave".

Flooded Forest

This is the view looking northwest across the middle provincially significant wetland. It was a blue bird sky. The sounds of birds and wildlife filled the air. Ruffed grouse drumming added the beat to the chip and chirps of smaller birds. Turkey vultures soared overhead with the bald eagle. Ducks buzzed in and about the wetland. Two otters glided down the seasonal stream in front of me without taking any notice of my presence. It was a good day. This forest will be dry by June.

Spring Forest

This is a view of the northeastern part of our forest. It has never been extensively logged and is full of large oak, beech, maple and hickory - even some butternut trees. The open field in the foreground has deep but wet soils and was probably logged to built the homestead buildings which lie a few hundred meters to the south. Cattle grazing has kept the trees from coming back. With our arrival and the absence of the cows, ash trees are emerging throughout this field. I also planted about 500 black walnuts in 2007 but there is no sign of them yet. The emerald green ash borer has been seen in eastern Ontario and these ash trees will be threatened.

Mighty Oak

This is a huge red oak tree on the north side of the provincially significant wetland abutting our building site. My outstretched arms do not even reach half way around this mighty tree. There is abundant scat at the base of this tree from the animals that have used it for food and refuge. This fertilizer has probably helped it reach its enormous girth. It is also surrounded by a defence of prickly ash making it difficult to reach without being scratched.

It was a cool spring day with brisk northerly winds. I was painting looking southerly with the wind on my back but the sun occasionally in my face when it broke through the turbulent stratocumulus cloud. The temperature was supposed to be plus 8 Celsius but it felt cooler! This was my first plein air painting since October. Home building can really occupy your time!

Southampton Art School Classes

Making Waves on Chantry Island and Killarney: The Annual Adventure are now posted... I hope to see you there! Some of my favourite time painting has been around Killarney and Southampton. It is an honour to be associated with the Southampton Art School!

2011 at the Chadwick Art House

Announcements... I will keep this brief...


Phil the Forecaster has officially retired... almost. His Retirement Bash originally scheduled for Ground Hog Day 2011 was appropriately rescheduled due to a blizzard. You gotta laugh! The February 15th Retirement is now his Valentine present to Linda even though it might not be exactly the perfect gift.


The Chadwick Art House has moved and now also produces 10 kWatts of solar energy. It has been a very busy fall and winter of construction but the paradise of Watershed Farm has indeed been recreated at Singleton Lake in eastern Ontario – Watershed Forests. If possible, it is even better than imagined and blends in with the environment. The property is now a forest and nature preserve providing habitat for lots of endangered species including artists. By late summer all of the work will be completed. Phil is now able to paint a lot more – watch the pig(ment)s fly now!


Here are the coming 2011 activities planned to date...


“Searching for Tom” in The Museum. I will present "Tom Thomson Was A Weatherman" at the Museum in Kitchener at 1:30 pm on Sunday March 27th. For full details ... click. It will be fun!


“Algonquin and Killarney in the Spring” ... a painting trip just because I now have time...


NOMEK – Meteorological Training in Finland, May


Algonquin Art Centre


The Algonquin Art Centre is proud to host one of Canada’s only “Year of the


Forest” events. 2011 is the United Nation’s International Year of the Forest which is an international campaign to promote awareness of the importance of forests. For more details about the program, click. I will be participating and have already started to paint along this theme which has always been present in my art.


“Weather in the Thousand Islands”, Thousand Islands Association, The Gananoque Playhouse, July 30th. A presentation about severe weather and how to survive it... you might want to see severe weather before you die ... but not just before you die!


Southampton Art School and Gallery


"Making Waves on Chantry Island”, Aug 22-24


Spend two full days learning the fine point of painting water and everything surrounding it - the first day on Chantry Island - and day two from Southampton's shoreline. The prime themes in Phil's work are weather patterns and how they affect water and skies and he'll share his secrets of painting a great lake's great moods in this workshop. Plus we will have fun!


International Plein Air Painters 10th Great WORLDWIDE Paint Out September 9-10-11, 2011 ... For the first time in the Thousand Islands. Details to follow after they get decided.


Awenda Provincial Park, Awenda Provincial Park is located on Georgian Bay, 20 minutes northwest of Penetanguishene, Ontario. The Friends of Awenda sponsor an annual art and the environment event and I am participating on Saturday and Sunday September 17 and 18th, 2011- presentations of "Tom Thomson Was A Weatherman!". More details to follow as the date nears.


Southampton Art School and Gallery


"Killarney Paint Escape" October 2-7, 2011. Escape to Group of Seven country and paint "en plein-air" with Phil the Forecaster. This Paint Escape is in tribute to my friend and fellow artist Jane Champagne.


“Weather of Ontario" - The book, published by Lone Pine is available in stores across Ontario if not across Canada. You can even find it in Canadian Tire! There is talk about doing an "Art and Weather" book based on my Tom Thomson presentations. It would be fun!


“Northern Light" - My Friend Roy MacGregor has published "Northern Light: The Enduring Mystery of Tom Thomson and the Woman Who Loved Him", Random House. It is the definitive Tom Thomson - Winnie Trainor text. Roy and I agree that there is not as much mystery as one might think - we are in complete agreement. Roy dug up the facts and by eliminating the half truths and lies - only the truth remains. It is a wonderful piece of Canadiana and an important part of our art and cultural history. Roy used some of my contributions. I am proud to be even a small part of this effort. Well done Roy!


Have a safe and healthy 2011! Life is good...


Warmest Regards,


Phil the Forecaster
Blog http://philtheforecaster.blogspot.com

Singleton Phil

Singleton Phil continued the family profession but actually went to university and became a professional meteorologist with Environment Canada. His first career as a nuclear physicist was too much like living in his burrow so he opted for a career change and the fresh air outside the hole in the ground. His more famous relations took the media route and jumped into the forecast game without any academic training.

His Second Cousin in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is certainly the star of the clan and kept the family name. (Ground hog’s surnames are actually their first given name preceded by the location of their burrow.) Another cousin disowned the family and now lives in Wiarton. “Philly”, now known as “Willie” was the first of the clan who learnt how to cross the road after observing the success of some chickens. There are now furcasters scattered around North America. And that’s the truth... although most have had to change their names because of their media handlers - just like Marilyn Monroe. You might be surprised to learn that Buckeye Chuck, General Beauregard Lee, Staten Island Chuck, and Shubenacadie Sam are all cousins of Singleton Phil.

Cousin Phil in Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney emerged on Groundhog Day 2011 to make his 125th annual weather forecast to predict a shorter winter. Punxsutawney Phil, not being a trained meteorologist like Singleton Phil, still forecasts the old superstitious way based on his shadow. If Punxsy Phil sees his shadow on February 2nd, the Christian holiday of Candlemas, he feigns terror and runs back into his hole thus predicting a longer winter – more than six more weeks of cold. If Punxsy Phil doesn’t see his shadow, well he acts cool and does what he does best (continuing to eat which explains why he is overwweight) indicating that spring is right around the corner. The only natural reason that any ground hog would be leaving his cosy cavern in February at all is to find love in time for Valentine’s Day. The real reason that Punxsy bales from his bed on February 2nd is that his media bosses tell him that he must make an appearance for the masses. No appearance ... no caviar...

Before Wednesday, Punxsy Phil had seen his shadow 98 times and hadn't seen it 15 times since 1887. The media star and self proclaimed “Prognosticator of Prognosticators” claims an 85% accuracy but he doesn’t consider the spatial and temporal aspects of performance measurement so his verification is pretty much meaningless and biased. If one completes even the most rudimentary scientific verification of his actual skill, Punxsy Phil actually scores a pitiful 39%. That’s the glamour of the media though where flash can be more valuable than fact.

Singleton Phil, after 35 years with Environment Canada claims an 86% accuracy in both time and space. Whisker plots of the data using radar, satellite and lightning remote sensing data to supplement the human observations, places these numbers on a solid scientific footing. Agent Maxwell Smart would agree that 86 is more than a number pulled out of thin air.

Singleton Phil sometimes wishes he had gone the high flying media route like Punxsy and Wiarton. The financial rewards with mass media are certainly greater but the quiet, family life of the scientific meteorologist ground hog on night shift still had its rewards. Now it’s time for Singleton Phil's real passion, painting the weather with his own hog’s hair brushes.

Phil the Forecaster Retires

"Singleton Phil" did not see his shadow during the blizzard on February 2nd. As a result there are now only 10 more days left as an official Envirnoment Canada meteorologist. He will always be "Phil the Forecaster" but now the plein air paint is really going to fly! Notice that Singleton Phil and Phil the Forecaster go to the same barber and enjoy the same hair colour.

Tom Thomson at the Museum

I will present "Tom Thomson Was A Weatherman" at the Museum in Kitchener at 1:30 pm on Sunday March 27th. For full details ... It will be fun!