Winter Pond

Winter Pond #3  (Courtesy of Equinox Gallery)

A pond with raindrops rippling means fall is here. As water descends from the sky and kids go back to school, new art shows are opening all around town.

Gordon Smith at the age of 91 is still producing magnificent and modern representations of nature as he sees it. Spending much time photographing trees, thickets and ponds he comes back to the studio to then create large works on canvas, which are now on display at Equinox Gallery on South Granville.

Included in the sold out show, were colourful spring and fall scenes, but what struck me most was a longer canvas entitled “Winter Pond #3” tucked upstairs in the gallery and how intricate the detail the effect of rippling water. Not unlike the Impressionist painters who were trying to illustrate the playfulness of light, the work instantly reminded me of Monet’s water lily paintings, which I was blessed to have seen in person on my trip to Paris last year.

In Smith’s work we can see how the light is captured when a ripple occurs with the reflection of the branches and sky above. Unfortunately a small rendition of the painting does not do it justice, but the up close it is superb.

People may look at this painting and see a very dark and dreary display of winter, but I would implore you to realize how incredibly talented an artist must be in order to create a modern work so tactile that you feel you could step into it.