Have you ever wanted to just jump into a painting?
Well, this is one that I could literally jump into. It is the quintessential Northern Ontario scene along the shore of any lake. I can almost smell the dried pine needles on the ground—that wonderful earthy smell combined with the fresh breeze off of the lake. The sun makes its way through the trees and creates long afternoon shadows reaching out as though to grab your attention.
By the Lake’s Shore
18 x24 acrylic on canvas
I left this painting sitting unfinished on my easel while my attention was diverted with a journey away to a warmer climate. A family member that was minding our house and cat while we were away, was captured by it and claimed it on the spot!
Driving on this road north holds many good memories. 12″ x 36″ acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas – SOLD
Anyone who lives or who has lived in Elliot Lake, Ontario at any time is very familiar with Highway 108, the 30 km stretch of highway that leads into the town from the Highway 17 turnoff. But not everyone has driven it to its’ most northern tip beyond the city where the highway ends and merges into Highway 639. At this point, you can still see part of the old road that turned off to right towards Quirke Mine, which no longer exists.
Comments from a Facebook post featuring the painting:
“I seen this painting and in my heart I knew it was E.L you’ve got the big whispy white pines perfectly (I live in AB now but grew up in Elliot Lake. I knew right away it was the 108!).”, and
“Absolutely stunning! I am familiar with that area. My brother worked in the mines. Really captured well.”
You would travel on Highway 639 on your way to Mississagi Provincial Park, or Laurentian Lodge, a beautiful log home with rental cottages on Flack Lake, or up to meet Highway 546 on your way east to Wilderness Lodge, or west to follow the Little White River, all the way around to Iron Bridge which brings you back to Highway 17! We still call this route along the river, “The Little White River Road”.
If you were a miner you would regularly travel along this highway back and forth at all hours on your shifts to Denison, Quirke 1 & 2, Panel, or Stanrock Mines.
This stretch of highway still holds on to many of its characteristics of earlier days like the old guard rails. The asphalt gives way to a more compressed gravel and it’s seems to get narrower the further you go.
We’ve driven this road many a time, often in the spring and most definitely in the fall. The views and the vistas from the high elevations are absolutely breathtaking! There is bush as far as the eye can see, and the colours in the northern fall forest are stunning! Mother Nature is an awesome artist!
After a long winter, Elliot Lakers often get a yearning to go somewhere! When they aren’t in the mood for a highway drive east or west to the larger cities, they will often drive the road north. The breathtaking beauty of the scenic nature here has a way of rejuvenating us.
Last summer, I was approached by a relative who asked me to paint a picture to hang over their couch in their new home. Sure, I agreed, though at that time I had no idea what and when I would ever paint it.
One benefit of all this homestay during this Covid-19 lockdown has been my ability to focus on painting. Painting grabs my attention completely and the time that passes is of no concern. It is a wonderful and rewarding escape from reality!
Morning Calm on Dunlop Lake – 48″ x 32″ acrylic on canvas – Commissioned
We’ve spent many good times together at the cottage that sits behind this view on Dunlop Lake. On this particular morning, the lake was quite calm and left you with a feeling of peace and serenity. What a perfect image to hang in the home in the city many miles and worlds away from this scene.
I hope it brings them a sense of calmness, and memories of all the wonderful times spent there for many years to come.
Autumn is a beautiful season most anywhere in the world. Cosy sweater weather, warm drinks by the fire, and awesome coloured leaves…what’s not to like?
I may be a bit biased but here in Northern Ontario, the fall colours in the bush go absolutely crazy with crimson reds merging with the brightest yellows producing shades of orange against the grey rocks. What a show!
The awesome splendour of fall colours in Northern Ontario
Autumn Symphony
30″ x 40″ Acrylic – SOLD
A friend of mine left a message on my Facebook page one day: “Cornelia, I need one of your paintings!”
So naturally, I called him and checked out his office space which had the most brightly painted walls I’ve ever seen. Marigold, bright yellows, reds and oranges! These guys really like fall colours.
The challenge was to paint a colourful fall scene that would compliment the colours and not get lost or overpower. Well, I have to admit, the painting looked perfect on a bright yellow wall.
I named this painting Autumn Symphony because it almost seems like the birch tree with its branches was standing like a conductor orchestrating this most magnificent symphony. If you’ve never been to Northern Ontario in the fall, you really should add it to your list of places to visit!
Summertime is berry picking time in Northern Ontario. Blackberries, chokecherries, raspberries, wild strawberries, and blueberries grow freely behind our cottage on Lake Lauzon.
But most often it was the wild blueberries my mother was after. She would enlist our entire family to spend a good part of a day high up on the rocks surrounding the lake. As kids, we would think it was fun for a little while, then start eating them, and finally drop the whole thing altogether and start playing. My mother wouldn’t be satisfied until we had filled a couple of gallon pails with blueberries. And this would take hours. It’s a good thing my father was a patient man and picked faithfully. She would then freeze many that would later be enjoyed as jams and pies. But a lot of them would be eaten fresh with a little sugar and maybe some milk or cream poured over. Delicious! To this day blueberry pie is my absolute favorite.
The blackberries were plentiful as well, though harder to pick due to the thorny bushes and the wasps that joined in. They were also not as sweet, but they made a lovely jam and jelly.
I painted this during the month of March when the ground was still very frozen and covered with a crusty blanket of snow. Painting these lovely green leaves and popping ripe berries sure got me dreaming about the summer. It became a detailed study of this tangly bush I hope to visit again someday soon.
I’m very excited to share my love for Arbonne products now as an Independent Consultant in Elliot Lake, Ontario, so that we can all live our best lives with an inside-out holistic approach to health with clean products that deliver!
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Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have or to place an order.
These adorable mugs feature Elliot the Bear, the sweet black bear peaking out from behind a tree seen on one of my banner designs hanging from several lamp posts along the downtown streets of Elliot Lake and along the highway. Each mug makes a great souvenir or gift.
Only $20 each. Contact me via email at studio@corneliasvela.com
There are 2 designs. Mug #1 features the bear on both sides. Mug #2 includes the following text:
Notecards!
Order these attractive blank notecards, handy for everything from a personal thank you note to birthday greetings. A nice gift idea as well!
$4 each or 3 for $10.00 Add $2 to cover mailing costs. Contact Cornelia at studio@corneliasvela.com with your request today! More designs now available.
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you’ve got the big whispy white pines perfectly (I live in AB now but grew up in Elliot Lake. I knew right away it was the 108!).”, and 
