Northern Lake

Janice Anthony

Courtesy of Courthouse Fine Art Gallery

For all the years I’ve lived in Maine, I have always had a sense of Canada being at my back.  It has felt like a place of refuge and safety, especially its forest, coastlines, and lakes, emanating a natural peace.  So much of what I’ve been drawn to has been the wilderness, trees and shadows, long mountain trails to cold and transparent waters. The continuing presence of First Nation tribes, French settlers, and the persevering English, and their names across the Canadian maps, all speak to me of a welcoming warmth.  And centuries of Canadian art, from Arctic carvings and Pacific Northwest totem poles, to work by the Group of Seven painters to more recent painters, inspire me to carry on with my painting.

How has living and creating art in Canada influenced your artistic style and perspective?

For years we camped and hiked in Canada; along the shores of New Brunswick, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Labrador and among the big trees in British Columbia. All these places were magical, a parallel universe but a mirror to Maine. They expanded my imagination to include wilder colors and landscapes.

Do you have a favorite piece of artwork or series inspired by your experiences in Canada? What was the story behind it?

I painted several paintings in Alberta, in the Canadian Rockies. Hiking the Wilcox Pass Trail, across from the Athabasca Glacier, made me wonder at the scale of true wilderness. I think I began painting larger works after seeing that area, realizing that small paintings never give a real sense of what exists beyond our imagination.

In what ways has your understanding of Canadian history and culture influenced your artistic themes or subject matter?

My first discovery of the Group of Seven, iconic painters of the Canadian landscape in the 1920s – 1930’s, and Emily Carr (painting 1820 – 1940) was inspiring, opening up new brilliant approaches to painting. Later I felt an affinity for the paintings of Alex Colville, Ron Bolt, Suzanne Joubert, Judy Garfin, and many more, who continued to open possibilities of color and content in my work.

Salmon River

How do you incorporate elements of the Canadian landscape into your work?

I use realism in my paintings of the Canadian landscape, as I do in my paintings of Maine and Washington State, to create a sense of place that communicates what I found in that place; its mystery and life, its independence from my own reality.

What advice would you give to other artists considering spending time abroad to enhance their artistic practice?

Any time spent in a different country is like traveling in a new universe, showing possibilities beyond our limited world.

Janice Anthony’s work is currently on display in our Freeport, Maine Showroom. The show, My Other Place: Maine Artists Exploring the World, runs from March 6, 2025 – June 1, 2025.