I pretty much spent all of my childhood summers camping in one Provincial Park or another. Killbear was my family’s go-to park. We’d pop our Coleman trailer up and down, moving from site to site each week, just for a change of scenery. Most of my days were spent along the water, digging in sand, attempting to windsurf, and collecting wild blueberries that would soon find their way into our pancakes the next morning. Evenings were spent by the fire mainly, singing songs and making s’mores, but not before we had hiked over to Harold’s Point to watch the sun set.
Killarney is another favourite of mine. Having only visited there once in my teens, I remember being pleasantly surprised by the warm lake temperature and its abundance of frogs! During our 2 week stay, my mom and I took part in a watercolour class the park staff had offered. As we hiked up to a high rock face, art supplies in tow, the instructor informed us that the members of the Group of Seven had worked in Killarney. Having just learned about the Group of Seven in high school art history that year, I was excited to paint the very same vistas that the likes of A.Y Jackson, Franklin Carmichael, Arthur Lismer, and A.J. Casson had been exposed to.
Above I’ve attached my original Killarney watercolour (oh it’s so bad!), as well as my first attempt at paper collage for a Grade 10 art project on Arthur Lismer.
But enough with my sentimental journey into the past. The real reason for this blogpost is to introduce the children’s line of t-shirts I designed for Ontario Parks.
This beaver and chipmunk are both on a mission, whether it be to find their dam or to chase a runaway acorn. (The back of the shirts contain an extra element of surprise). And although the colours look a little gender specific, I like to think that boys can wear pink….err, I mean salmon, too!
These shirts will be available at all Provincial Park stores across Ontario, spring through fall, and the proceeds go back into keeping the parks beautiful.
