The Athabasca, Near Pelican Ridge

Elisa Sereno-Janz

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(b. 1960)

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THE ATHABASCA, NEAR PELICAN RIDGE; 2011

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oil paint and conte on panel

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44 x 72 in. (111.8 x 182.9 cm)

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ARTIST STATEMENT

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Canada is about the land. For Canadians, the land is what defines us, what shapes our history and reveals our future. Canada is a land rich in resources, and what exactly are those resources that we treasure? Our land is varied and vast, and constantly changing. There are beautiful places throughout Canada, but here in Alberta we have a huge variety of landscapes from the desert of Southern Alberta, to the foothills and the Rocky Mountains, and the north country, twining rivers, blue lakes and seemingly endless forests. When I ride in a plane or look at satellite images of my Alberta landscape, I can see where glaciers razed the planes and carved valleys through the mountains. I can see where giant rivers have carved their way through rock and desert, weaving through the land on their journey to the sea in sensuous, serpentine curves. As an artist who is strongly connected to the beauty of my landscape in all it's variety, I yearn to communicate in a two dimensional way through drawing and painting my love and wonder of the natural beauty that surrounds me.