Here is a photo from the legend trip to the St. Louis River near Duluth, MN. According to Ojibway legend the Fon du Lac Tribe of Northern Minnesota call this part of the St. Louis River “Spirit Lake.” In the middle of the lake is a small thrust of earth called “Spirit Island.” It is said that a pair of star-crossed lovers from warring tribes ran away together and settled on this island and that sometimes even today the spirits of this couple can still be seen. The island is private property so I stayed on the frozen river outside the island, but the frozen wind and blowing trees gave testimony to the solemnity of the place. I might be back to see the island in different lighting, but a larger landscape painting is definitely appropriate for this one….
Artwork: “Spirit Island” is a finished oil painting 30 x 30 inches. Instagram has become a large part of my project. I wanted to reference the idea of photography as a type of “evidence,” in these cases, but also speak to the larger idea of us as viewers becoming more accustomed to the idea of seeing a photo than experiencing an actual piece of art or the real view.
