Maligne Lake, Jasper Park (1924) Lawren Harris
Awhile back, I wrote a blog post on some paintings that had inspired me: Monet’s Rouen Cathedral series. As a photographer, I find that sometimes it can be refreshing to immerse ourselves in the works of painters: their approach to light, color, and composition can provide inspiration and new ways of looking at our surroundings.
Several years ago, while visiting Banff, my wife and I were introduced to the paintings of Lawren Harris. Lawren Harris, 1885-1970, was a Canadian painter who is best known for pioneering a uniquely Canadian style with a group of painters known as the Group of Seven. From Wikipedia: “Believing that a distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature, the Group of Seven is most famous for its paintings inspired by the Canadian landscape, and initiated the first major Canadian national art movement.”
Lake and Mountains (1928) Lawren Harris
Harris’ paintings, often of the cold, stark mountain landscapes of Canada, seem to glow from within. He used a technique known as impasto: rich colors applied so thick that the brushstrokes are clearly visible on the canvas, providing texture, almost as if the paint appears to be coming out of the canvas.
Bylot Island, Lawren Harris
The mountain shapes often appear to be simplified and rounded out. The small details are removed, so the greater shapes are highlighted. The effect of the filtered sunlight on the clouds, mountains, and water is highly dramatic, bringing out the contrast with the darkness of the shadows. I love how, even with the incredibly dramatic subject matter of his paintings, the true star of the show is always the light.
Clouds, Lake Superior (1923) Lawren Harris
Location: Spokane, Washington
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Chip Phillips began his relationship with photography in 2006 when his father gave him his old Pentax Spotmatic film SLR camera. Chip was immediately hooked and soon made the transition to digital. Given his lifelong love of the outdoors, he naturally made the progression to focusing on landscape photography. A professionally trained classical musician, Chip also performs as Principal Clarinet with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, and is Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Gonzaga University. Chip resides in Spokane Washington with his wife and son.
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