Go with the Flow, and the Heart of the Art

 Ilona and Adam took their canoe for a little float this week, along the Oxtongue River.










Starting at Marsh's Falls, they paddled leisurely down river to Dwight Bay.




Then they turned around, and paddled (a little less leisurely, although with the water so low, there is not a lot of current just now) back up to the Falls.













We can't think of a better time of year to be on this beautiful stretch of water.  Protected as a heritage zone by the Township, a large chunk of the shoreline is in even deeper protection thanks to the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation, who recently increased their conservation area to  a total of almost 300 acres along the river.







On a calm day, the river turns into a mirror, barely registering the soft drift of a canoe.  This region is home to mink,  muskrat, otters, beaver, herons and more. Deer come tiptoeing to the edge to drink, fish laze in the deeper current carved pools, songbirds make their homes in that narrow bit where water meets land... that magical, delicate part of the eco-system that is so easily damaged by cutting trees, landscaping, even creating deep wakes with boats.   Loons, geese and ducks all have their favourite hide-aways along here.


Thanks so much for sharing these photos from your adventure.  This truly is a time of year, and a place, to restore the soul.







Many people don't know, but this river, and its headwaters in Algonquin Park and Oxtongue Lake, provided the impetus to the Canadian Group of Seven.   This is the river where Tom Thompson came, along with friends A.J. Casson, Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston and Arthur Lismer came to paint their vision of the Canadian wild.

















 From this beginning, they fanned out across the country, deeper into the Park, up to the North, out to the West, but it was here that the movement began.


The Cultural group at Oxtongue Lake has been mapping where exactly along the lake and river the artists stood (or sat) when they painted some of our most iconic images, and they are in the process of installing plaques so we can all follow along, stand in the same place, and see the same landscapes.


















So, no real need to haunt the McMichael Gallery (although that is also a great place to linger).  You can follow along on the River that carried the Group of Seven into our art history. Right here.