From July 22 to July 31, 2024, I participated in an art residency with Ottawa artist Kathy Bergquist. We were on Halls Island in Haliburton, Ontario. https://www.hallsisland.ca
It was a very inspiring and productive residency. I worked on small scale work in a sketch book and on paper with pencil and gouache, researching, observing and preparing for future work.
The photo shows the beautiful Lake Koshlong.: the island on the left is Halls Island and on the right is a treed island with no cabins.
Kathy and I were the only two on the island. There are several cabins on the island, including a main cabin, two sleeping cabins, and a sauna cabin. The island is privately owned by a family who generously provide island access to artists.
My research at the residency was considering the ecosystem of the island and the interdependency between different organisms. This photo shows a Bleeding Teeth Fungus Mushroom, one of the organisms I saw on the island. It has a symbiotic relationship with vascular plants.
I was also intrigued by lichens I saw on the island; lichens are a symbiotic association between algae and fungus.
We also saw this iron bacteria on the water. (The pine tree at bottom of photo is a reflection.) "Iron-oxidizing bacteria are found in iron rich waters and get the energy they need to live and reproduce from oxidizing dissolved iron." https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/water/water-quality/algae-watch/recognize-algae/other-aquatic-phenomena
Amazing!