Gatineau Seasons by John M Shearman

Shearman is primarily a landscape painter and an amateur naturalist. He has a remarkable ability to distill the complexities of nature into a painting that captures the essence of the scene. The challenge is to not be overwhelmed by the amount and variety of elements...whether it be the effects of ripples reaching a rocky shore on the Gatineau River or sunlight breaking through the canopy of a cedar grove in the Park in early spring.

Coming from South Africa, John has a particular love for the abundance of the Canadian landscape and especially for the majesty of the forest trees...a theme he comes back to time and again. Shearman, however; loves the challenge of change and will paint anything that interests his eye...be it fishermen digging for bait on a lagoon in the Western Cape in South Africa, dogs running on a beach, a late summer on Parliament Hill or a view of the early autumn fields on Cross loop Road in Chelsea.

John sees each painting as an adventure...some have happy endings while others are seen as a necessary step towards a more successful painting.