Evening on Canoe Lake

Composition 0501 Private Commission
2025
Wood panel, canvas, acrylic paint, ChromaLife100+ ink, paper 
21 inches diameter
Approximately 1,675   paper pieces 

The concentric circles of Evening on Canoe Lake, Composition 0510 by Lesley Luce pay homage to Algonquin Park’s rich natural and artistic heritage. The act of creating this piece was one of quiet focus, where the repetitive layering of patterns and details became a meditative practice reflecting on personal stories and experiences on Canoe Lake.

This meticulously handcrafted piece, 26 inches in diameter, incorporates fragments of birch bark collected by the artist on Canoe Lake and pieces of her own canoe route map, embedding the work with personal ties to the land that inspired it. The composition features portage signs, wildlife photography, beavertail paddle silhouettes, and motifs inspired by historic photos, natural artifacts, and early 20th-century park culture and camping. References to Tom Thomson’s Evening, Canoe Lake, Winter (1915), jack pine cone imagery, and the Camp Wapomeo crest add narrative depth.

From a distance, the abstract structure draws the viewer in, while closer inspection reveals intricate symbols of memory, resilience, and transformation. This work bridges personal ritual and cultural history, inviting viewers to reflect on their own connections to Canoe Lake, renewal, and quiet strength.