Upon her canvass landscape artist, Taimi Poldmaa, captures the exquisitely painful beauty of Lake Superior and the rugged north. Bold strokes shaping rocks and cliffs are balanced by Taimi’s fine hand as she recreates the curve of a piece of driftwood or the elegant arch of waves rolling towards a shoreline. Bringing together vibrant and soft palettes, her pieces are a harmony of colour and contrast.
Born in London, England Taimi’s family immigrated to Canada when she was still an infant. “I grew up in a little town way up North called Larder Lake –a little gold mining town.” Her family eventually moved to Sault Ste. Marie. A location suited for her creative soul.
“Lake Superior is something that draws me. I just love the way everything is so different from one cove to the next. I’m always surprised by what’s there. White beaches in one spot and then beautiful pebbles on the next cove and then the cove after that might have big volcanic rocks jutting out into the water. I love that. It’s so pristine. And I’m always so surprised that there is never anybody around, unless it’s really, really hot. My most recent venture was to the Agawa Caves. I was just blown away. I didn’t want to leave. It was so beautiful and I could actually feel the spirits there.”
When time permits, Taimi prefers to paint on location. “It also depends how warm or cold it is. When I did the ice painting- well, you can’t take your mitts off and your camera barely works! It was a lot of photographs so I had a lot of information to use. And sometimes I’m just driving along and it’s a picture from a moving car.”
It is not surprising that given Taimi’s subject matter comparisons of her work to the Group of Seven are often drawn. The association pleases Taimi. “I like it. I think they’re phenomenal. So to be compared to them is wonderful. Lawren Harris is a big influence for me. I’ve looked to see what influenced him. And now I’m actually studying another artist Caspar David Friedrich –he was an influence for Harris. I like the comparison, if people love that -the Group of Seven, and they are seeing that influence in my work it makes me happy. I’m always learning from the Group of Seven.”
A Northern Perspective comprises twenty-one stunning paintings that include the natural environment as well as man-made structures that have become part of the landscape.
“I want people to know that these are areas where anybody can get to. I’m not canoeing down to inaccessible, hard to reach spots. These are places where you can stop along the highway. They are common places. People can get to these on a trail. And I’d like people to go and see these places. They are just breathtaking.”
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A Northern Perspective is hosted at Studio 1921 at the TECH until June 19th, 2016. The Studio will be opened Tuesday to Thursday from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. To arrange a special showing contact Taimi at Berkana Art Studio.
