Monday, May 23, 2011

The Raft at Manitou Beach


Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Raft at Manitou, ink on watercolour paper, 11X14", May 2011

Announcing My Solo Show
for the month of July at

Cafe NeverMatters Coffee and Bistro,
340 Robinson Road, Naramata BC!
(778) 514-0054

Stay tuned for more details!

Mallards! A staple of Okanagan Lake.
As a kid growing up in Naramata I lived for the summers, as we all did. I remember my parents scolding me for not taking my swimsuit of once I got home from the beach- But what was the point? I'd most likely head back down to the beach for a swim after dinner anyway.

The high dive at Manitou beach is long gone but our little yellow raft still holds court the same as it did when I was a child, and I still remember the pride I felt when my parents and swim teacher deemed me a good enough swimmer to swim out to the yellow raft without adult supervision.


(The first place I ever skinny dipped was behind the yellow raft, at night with my sister and friend Tiffany, our swimsuits carefully hidden on the beam under the raft in case any dreaded boys showed up and wanted to steal our treasured clothes! But you won't get a painting of that, I'm afraid!)

Diving for freshwater clams, maybe?

So to those who at one time or another dove off the little yellow raft at Manitou, this painting's for you! It will make it's debut at Cafe NeverMatters, Downtown Naramata, in July.

xxMelanie