Blue Gold, Calgary

This spot on the Bow River is familiar to Parkdale residents and to those who regularly bike, jog or walk the Bow River pathway. The CP train runs along the edge of the escarpment where the two bare poplar trees stand. This painting was technically challenging. I wanted to capture the intensity of sunlight through autumn clouds and reflected in the water. I wanted the Escherian Three Worlds effect in the pebbles and rocks seen on the dry shore, in shallow water, underwater and interrupting light reflections on the surface of the water. The red branches of the Arctic dwarf willow were important to me not just aesthetically but also for their essential ecological role in the protection of the shoreline. Poplar and aspen trees are ubiquitous on the Calgary landscape. Fallen poplar leaves lie on the shore and in the water. The photograph of the original painting was taken by VERDI Photography.

Maureen Flynn-Burhoe, Blue Gold, Calgary, Acrylic on Canvas, 24" x 36",