Tag Archives: Porqupine Herds

Meeting Karsten Heuer

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Teacher’s Convention this year was inspiring.  For one thing, I was privileged to meet Karsten Heuer who exemplifies, for me, someone who truly LIVES a connection with nature, along with his wife, Leanne Allison and his son, Zev.  Through a vast landscape that straddles the northern Yukon and Alaska, Karsten and Leanne joined a migratory herd of 123,000 caribou on a five month journey.  I purchased the film Being Caribou for our school some years ago and shared it with many students over the years.  I sat in the dimly lit theater, viewing powerful images and listening to Karsten’s story of landscape and found myself in tears more than once. Once concluded, I brought my own copy of the book, Being Caribou, forward for Karsten’s signing.

 

I left one of my postcards for him to share with his son, Zev.

Although the time we shared was fleeting, I felt a deep connection for Karsten’s work and for his passion.  It was a very special moment.

Park's Canada Post Card: Initiative for the sake of the Woodland Caribou

The Upside to Being Ousted

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It is good to have my paintings come home to me. This is truly the upside of down! When paintings DO return, I am able to look at them with fresh eyes and really enjoy them.  This particular painting has not yet been professionally photographed, but it is such an important piece to me, I thought I would feature it here!  The painting was inspired by two very special people; one, a poet named Paulette Dube who lives in Jasper and the other, a gent who uses film as his medium, Cam Koerselman.  You can enjoy some of his work on Vimeo.

Paulette gave me permission to embed her words into this painting.  I cried in the dark, while she gave her reading of these very words while Cam’s film rolled during the Caribou Blues festival two years ago.

Paulette’s words…as a response to my request of her words, were these…

You could “sail through an army of angels and not notice anything more than a mere freshening of the air.” (Thank you Ms. Lessing.)

Kathleen, well, right off let me tell you two things.  I went for a walk today and I dreamed that my work would grow legs and walk into someone’s life.  Looks like it is yours.  Next, I opened the jpg and saw the elephant and the number 5.  Elephants and me, well, I love them, and the number 5 is truth.  So, long story short, of course I will send you the text I made for the Caribou piece.  And I will do that after supper – right now, my sauce is boiling.  Wanted you to know that I am honoured to send you the little bit I have to offer right now.

Thank you,

Paulette

SUCH GENEROSITY!!!!

The text embedded in the piece are, as she describes…a bastardation of works collected from, First Mountain, Thistledown Press, 2007, Gaits, Thistledown Press, 2010 and scenes written for the event.  All rights reserved by author:  Paulette Dube

Cropped: Paulette’s Words Take Flight

Detail: Atmospheric Environment inspired by Cam Koerselman

Huge  ‘magic’ led me to Ellen McIlwaine and her music as she played for the Caribou Blues festival that same weekend.  The first caribou piece was featured on the information publication for Parks Canada because of Ellen’s recommendation and for that I will always be grateful.

Porqupine Herd