Artists for the Stoltmann Wilderness
camping on the Hundred Lakes Plateau. Photo credit: Kerry Dawson
Ever since the Group of Seven captured on canvas northern Ontario's wild landscapes more than a century ago, Canada's wilderness has been a continuing wellspring of artistic inspiration. But for many of today's artists, wilderness is more than merely a subject matter. It is a cause celebre. Realizing that Canada's great oldgrowth forests and roadless wilderness areas are disappearing at an ever-increasing rate, they have volunteered their talents to help protect wild areas from destruction.
Artists have been "activists" in every successful campaign to save B.C.'s big wilderness areas, from South Moresby to the Stein and Carmanah to the Tsitika. They have trekked into threatened oldgrowth forests, created awe-inspiring art and donated their work to help raise money for wilderness preservation.
Now the Stoltmann Wilderness is calling out for help and the artists are responding. The Wilderness Committee has invited one hundred artists to come to the Stoltmann Wilderness during the summer of 1996, to camp-out with WCWC campaigners and draw, paint, or sculpt what they see and experience.
WCWC will be holding an art show featuring the resultant artworks and, if financing can be arranged, feature the works of art in a book to further promote park protection for the entire 260,000 hectare Stoltmann Wilderness Area.
If you would like to volunteer to help at one of WCWC's Stoltmann Wilderness artists' camp-outs, write or call Sue Fox, Stoltmann Artists Project Coordinator at the Wilderness Committee.
