Moose Pond 1918

Frank Johnston has built this environment with oils, one brushstroke at a time. The greens and golds are so intense, you can almost feel the sun on your face. It's like he's not just painting a place, but a feeling, an experience. I think of him standing there, maybe with a slight breeze, trying to capture something real, something true about the Canadian landscape. You see that one tree on the left, how it reaches up? It's almost like he's letting the paint do the work, each stroke building on the last, like the tree is growing right there on the canvas. It reminds me of other painters I admire, like Emily Carr, who also wrestled with how to make a painting feel alive. It's a beautiful thing, this conversation between artists across time, each one pushing the boundaries of what paint can do. We are all just trying to show others what we have seen! This painting opens up space for me to imagine and reflect. It’s not about getting it “right” but about embracing the possibilities.