Update:  May 11, 2022 – Scouted the Meadow this morning and WOWWWW – there were more than 20 species of wildflowers getting ready to burst open – and judging from their buds – I’d say next week is peak!  We are soooo going to see some spectacular flowers!  It’ll be tough to decide what to paint!!!  Some pics from today….and this is just the bare beginnings….!!🥳

REGISTRATION is via emailing the hike leader.  READ instructions below, please.

The first of a new series of ART HIKES mixing creativity and nature-bathing, this hike will be on a gorgeous sloping meadow high up on Harper Mountain.  The views of the valley are spectacular, as are the views of the sloping meadow up the mountainside – hopefully we will catch the Balsamroot flowers in full bloom!

We will meet-up at the Paul Lake Rd Meet Up Spot across and up from the Husky Station, and caravan to the Meadows parking area.  Parking is somewhat limited, so we may have to shuttle/ride share.  The trail is not very far to the Meadows (a km or 2), when we arrive, we will set up at the bottom of the sloping meadow to paint or draw – each person to choose for themselves, whatever inspires them.  We will spend an hour and a half painting/creating, then pack up and head back to the parking area.  I am no expert, and will not be “teaching”.  I will be painting something myself, and would describe my ability to be possibly “good” – at an elementary school level….seriously, that’s it.   :lol:.

Get “CREATIVE” with your supplies!  Think compact and small.  Each person should bring their own supplies (BYOS).  You can draw or paint whatever you wish.  If you need supplies, they can be found inexpensively at our local dollar stores.  In particular, “Your Dollar Store With More” in the Sahali SaveOn Foods shopping complex, has a vast array of art supplies at very reasonable prices.  I bought the items below the other day – the paint pots are especially useful (I think they were less than 2$) – as a way to take only small amounts of paint.  They had loads of different-sized canvases there, even some very cute tiny ones!  I recommend doing a wee, small picture, as we will only be there for an hour and a half or so.  You might choose to paint a few flowers, or a tree, or another plant.  Or you might want to paint the entire view.  Just keep it SMALL and try to stick with a quicker technique.

VIDEO LINKS!!

If you are not an experienced painter, I highly recommend you watch a few “how to” videos before the hike – this will make your time on the mountain a lot more enjoyable and give you some additional ways in which to create.  Some very cool painting videos are linked below, as examples.

• If you think you might want to paint the meadow of flowers, here is a video on how to paint a complete meadow landscape in only 10 mins – it’s excellent and shows very cool tips for lovely effects of sky, grasses, and flowers, that are SO EASY:

https://youtu.be/6JskibkFNrI

• How to paint fir trees in 10 mins:

https://youtu.be/9pW5oEXS3gY

• How to paint flowers in 10 mins:  (this flower is fuschia coloured but you can just think “yellow” when watching….   : )

https://youtu.be/Mt-K065SjtE

You can find lots of quick tutorials on youtube:  search for “how to paint _____(type whatever you like)____ in 10 mins”, and there are loads of good videos that show quick and easy techniques!

We will practice “LEAVE NO TRACE” – we will NOT pour our dirty paint water into the ground there.  All hikers are expected to pack out EVERYTHING they pack in.

Bring: (and THINK SMALL)

• paper towels (to wipe your brushes on)
• a small garbage bag or large ziploc bag for your dirty paper towels
• a water-tight container/jar/bottle for your dirty paint water
• water (to put in the container to wash your brushes
• paints, water-colours, or – pencils/charcoals etc if you are going to draw
• brushes
• a canvas or papers / pad suitable for your medium of choice
• a margarine container lid to mix your oil or acrylic paints on (like a mini-palette)
• a large piece or two of saran wrap to wrap around your palette lid before you use it (this makes clean-up soooo easy!)
• an old blanket or towel to sit on (I will sit on the ground and paint a canvas on my lap…)
• a snack and water to drink
• and anything else you might want that you can fit in your pack!!

PLEASE NOTE:  Art is art.  It is neither “right” nor “wrong”, “good” nor “bad”, unless we choose to label it.  (Let’s not do that.)  This is an opportunity to get outside, “nature-bathe”, and express whatever you wish via drawing or painting with your trail buddies from the Hiking Club!

You will not have to show your work to anyone else if you do not wish to.

MEET UP AT Paul Lake Rd Meet Up Spot at 12:30 on Sunday, May 22 and car-pool or caravan to the trailhead.

Because this is not an ordinary hike event, to register – please email the leader (me!  Email visible below for logged in members) and signify that you understand this is not just a hike, we will be drawing or painting, that you have to bring your own supplies, that you have read the “bring” list, and that we will practice “Leave No Trace”.  Again, I strongly encourage you to avail yourself of a few how-to videos – they’re fun!  Hope to see you on the hike!