Alan Stein – November 13th, 2021

The 13 wood engravings in this exhibit are from my hand printed book, “On Spirit Lake, Georgian Bay Stories”, published in 2020 by my private press, the Church Street Press. They are printed on Arches 88 paper in a limited edition of 10 copies and are for sale for the first time.

The book explores the spirit of Georgian Bay in words and images. A selection of 10 original essays and 2 adapted short stories, with an introduction by editor Tom Smart, a poem by Douglas LePan, the authors include; visual artist Ed Bartram, Joseph Boyden, Judy Fong-Bates, Elizabeth MacCallum, Andrea Curtis, Nick Eyles, Wayne Grady, Katherine Govier, John Irving, David Macfarlane, Waubgeshig Rice, and Susan Swan. On Spirit Lake is hand printed in a limited edition of 100.

When I set out to create this book, I wanted the text to be new writing about Georgian Bay by writers I knew had an intimate connection to, and a love for, Georgian Bay. I asked each of them to write something about what the Bay meant to them, what drew them there, what inspired them about the landscape, of their experience on the Bay, their personal history.

Once all the written work was submitted I turned to Tom Smart to edit and suggest the order in which they would appear in the book. I also asked Tom to write an introduction. Chandra Wohleber was our copy editor. I was then able to set the type by hand and print the text for the book. This was a much larger project than I had ever tackled before.

As I set the type I carefully read each story, and was inspired by certain lines, certain images, in each piece. I then made pencil sketches, later blending in my own memories and images of the Bay based on my personal experiences.

After finishing the typesetting I began to work up my sketches into larger 22” x 30” charcoal drawings as I planned for each wood engraving. Each image relates to the written work but stands on its own. I carved all the blocks, and proofed them, one summer at my island studio. I printed the engravings in my Parry Sound studio on my Vandercook cylinder press. Finally hand colouring each frontispiece with watercolour.

Over the past two years, with these images and words in my thoughts, I carried on with my painting of Georgian Bay inspired by the rocks, the movement in the water, trees and skies. At the same time I was sketching in Newfoundland each spring and fall, also inspired by the landscape and the small fishing harbours. It is no wonder considering the two locations where I was working that the weather became a common and inspiring element in many of the works.

On the Bay I often head out by canoe or small motor boat to the edge of the Hangdog Reef which protects Bayfield Inlet. Heading “Towards The Open” as Douglas LePan explained. Out there your view is uninterrupted, it feels like the edge of the world, where low lying shoals just break the surface. On the inside of the reef the water is calm even in a strong wind, yet on the outside 2 – 3 metre waves can crash against the rocks. The sky is BIG, the horizon appears to follow the curve of the earth.

At the edge of the reef the rocks are polished and carved by thousands of years of wave action and before that by the advance of glaciers. The rocks themselves, once molten, were formed under extreme pressure from long eroded mile high mountains above. Their unique quality was formed by the process of plate tectonics creating twisted and swirled coloured bands of quartz and mica, basalt, and pink and red gneiss. Far out at the edge of things there are few trees, only shrubs, mosses, lichens, wildflowers, low growing cranberries and wild iris and lady tresses. It is a magical place for me and a place of isolation and inspiration since I have known it for over 30 years now.

In Newfoundland I began to think of creating another book, this time a book of poems by poet Des Walsh. I was inspired by his words. “Between images of lichen covered rock and angels, a persistent motif is the tortured emotions of one trying to “be sure of his place,” especially in the seeking, losing and reclaiming of love. He says, “I see it (Newfoundland) as a place of struggle – of great highs and lows. So often it’s not at the hands of the people, but it’s the hands of government and mega-business that have affected so many things and so many lives. That said, I still see in the faces of people a great joy and celebration of who we are.” Article by Aaron Peach. © 2006, Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web Site.

I started sketching on-site in our harbour then up and down the eastern coast of the Bonavista Peninsula, driving down every little road discovering small harbours, a few remaining fishing stages here and there, old hauled out boats, remains of relocated houses, a coastline of beaches, and cliffs, icebergs and whales. A place where there is still very much a life of many fishing for cod, lobster, and crab.

From Des, and others, I learned about the history of the area and the stories of people who came here from Europe for the fish. I also heard stories about the relocation of homes and the destruction of communities often hundreds of years old. How houses, some in the harbour where we live, were moved across the water to new locations. I decided to create images to go with the poems and paintings that captured that landscape.

In the end somehow (of course) all the work, Georgian Bay and Newfoundland, both places of water, rock and never-ending sky are related.