I parked where 6th Line road ends and took the foot path to the edge of the highway. There, I put my backpack down and started to sketch the scene. All of a sudden, I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise. I was not alone. I looked back at the pathway to see a big man with a sizable stick walking in my direction. I felt trapped and uneasy about the situation. Here I was alone in the woods literally with a stranger approaching me with a menacing stick in hand. The only way out of the area was to go past him, and I was not about to test his willingness to use the stick.
Instinct took over and I called out a big hello.
No answer. He kept walking towards me.
He stopped about 15 feet away and asked me what I was doing.
"I am waiting for some friends to arrive" I said. We are sketching Mount Kelso from this spot.
"Why?" I added to engage him.
No answer.
"You shouldn't be out here alone." He finally said.
Gave me a long look while tapping the stick on his leg and finally walked away.
Needless to say, I waited for this man to leave, packed my stuff and headed back in a trot to my car. The spot was too close to the face of the escarpment to see a good vista, and anyway, I was too perturbed and conscious of my surroundings to let myself enjoy the creative flow of colours and strokes.
Painting is a solitary endeavour of course, but being out in the wild alone is not a wise thing to do. In my years of painting outdoors, I have not had such an experience before, but this one time was enough to convince me that unless I am heading out with others, it may be wiser to stay close to well trodden paths where one is likely to meet many others. Better the many interruptions of curious onlookers than the single one from a menacing visitor… Human or other.
There are many values that a plein air group like the Ontario Plein Air society can bring to its members, but un-interrupting silent company; the knowledge that while you are painting alone and focused on your work, there is someone that you know who is close by, is by far one of the most important benefits that a plein air society can bring.
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Fawzan, your reaction to the unknown intruder is one I've felt more than once, long before I picked up the brush. From time to time I enjoy tracking bears along their paths into the deep bush, or, in cottage country, deep into swampy areas surprisingly close to cottages and small towns. Bear paths are preferable to those of dear or elk, as bears seem to avoid wading through water unless necessary. That means even though you are on all fours at times because of the dense brush, you are reasonably sure of staying fairly dry while penetrating the "interior" of the wild. There you will see barred owls almost within arms reach, foxes, and possibly even a wolverine in repose. The bear snorting behing you on the trail may frighten you a wee bit, but strangely, nothing like an unexpected stranger, even some distance off, talking loudly. Out here in the wild, I will hide from the stranger, breathe quietly, and hope they pass by, as they often will, within a remarkably short distance without seeing you. I suppose it is the unknown, and the unknown purpose of a fellow human wandering about the wilderness. No doubt I would feel differently if they were carrying a pochade box tucked under their arm... Strangely, though the bears and the moose are quite unsettling in these settings, I've never felt alarmed by their presence, unlike that of my fellow humans.
ReplyDeleteThe rhythm of my life and work at the moment keep me from joining you and your fellow plein air adventurers, but I do look forward to a time in the not too distant future when I may be able to do so. In the meantime, stay safe. - Andrew -