Light Little HOW WE LET OUR LITTLE LIGHT SHINE

Naturally ART

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.” – Thoreau

This is a story about an artist, a trip north, an art show and a collec-tion of paintings that decorate the walls of Mary, Kate & Emma’s home.

Three years ago Jim was talking in his staff room with Paul Purifi-cati, bringing together two great minds to shape an experience that has continued to develop. JPII Secondary School art teachers and students travelled to Lighthouse Landing in September and fol-lowed in the footsteps of the Group of Seven. After the first year, students wanted to give back through a Social Justice project and decided to donate their art to the camp. Paul returned to the north in August to hold an ‘Art in the Park’ showing in the Mag-netawan Centennial Park and Magnetawan Farmer’s Market. Pro-ceeds assisted in the growth of the autism camp and program.

Here is one story…The school year unfolds and staff and students plan and prepare for a trip to the north. There is a lot of bustle and hustle. The bus is packed with paints and brushes, sleeping bags, camping gear and enthusiasm! Artists are ready to take instruction, take pallet in hand, and venture out to bring forth their creative expressions.

The artist sits down by the lake or rolling rapids, on the rugged rocks, and amid the changing tree colour - sees the landscape first, then begins. After many hours, a little segment of the mind’s eye is etched in a time and place to be admired and held dear by all who gaze upon it.

Mary, Kate & Emma are friends of Lighthouse Landing who visit us year after year. They attended the art show and chose pictures to bring home. On the back of each painting, the artist writes the date and place of where the art was sketched. The family proudly holds their paintings in the picture in front of their cabin, Rocky Ritz. The sketches will then be transported back to their home. From Mary: “Here they are, above our dining table, flanking Emily Carr's Above the Clouds, giving us great pleasure every day!”

Thanks For Another Great Art Trip! “This year the John Paul II artists came to Lighthouse Landing ready to paint the Ontario landscape better than ever. The weather was great and we swam, canoed, paddle boated, hiked, and painted at Thompson Falls and Knoepfli Rapids. We were fortunate enough to have professional landscape painter Jamie Jardine from Lon-don lend his skill and expertise to our work, and the improvement was evident. Our cabins were cozy and the overall experience was just plain fun. Fran, Jim and Alyssa Slee took our group to Knoepfli Rapids to swim the rapids in the rain. It was a blast! The water was warm enough for swimming every afternoon on the beach and at Magnetawan Park. We look forward to working on our paintings back in the studio in London and selling them to raise funds for the Autism Program at Lighthouse Landing. Thanks to the Slee's for making our trip so memorable and we'll see you next September 2014! Sincerely, Paul Purificati, Mark Lisson, Christine McCullough, Art Teachers and all the young artists at John Paul II Catholic Sec-ondary School, London Ontario.”

January 2014

$100 Gift Certificate for you!! Till the end of February, recommend a friend who stays at

Lighthouse Landing for one week in a cabin or one week camping this season and you will receive a $100 gift certificate with our sincere thanks. Your referral to family, friends or colleagues is our best advertising!