Memories of Madge

 Growing up in Kamsack, Saskatchewan in the seventies meant spending many summer days out at Madge Lake. I have stark memories of taking swimming lessons with my brother and cousins. On cloudy days it always felt wicked cold getting in the water and wading out to the pier which served as the staging area for our lessons. But on hot days, being at Madge Lake and in its water was divine.

I loved laying on the crowded beach, closing my eyes, soaking in the sun and feasting in the sounds. Motor boats and single engine planes could be heard off in the distance, above the giggles and screams of countless kids playing in the water. Those were the lazy, hazy days of summer in the mid-70s. Perfect days.

I spent today painting Ski Island (as suggested by Nicole Larson), a small patch of land in Madge Lake, more familiar to those who spent lots of time on boats out on the water. We didn't have a boat, so Ski Island doesn't mean much to me. But the fact that it is part of the Madge Lake story does have meaning to me, and to tens of thousands of others who spent blissful days and weeks at this recreational treasure.

This painting will be available for purchase shortly. A portion of the sale proceeds will be donated to a charity called Bracelets For Buildings as part of my 52 Week Landscapes and Landmarks painting challenge. The goal is to raise $5,200 throughout the year to fund the construction of a home for an impoverished family in rural Cambodia.