"From Star dust to Star dust" by Christine Belanger
Artist Statement
“Last fall, in October 2019, I watched the film about Takaya on the Nature of Things. I was struck by his intelligence, resilience, how he adapted, his beauty, and last but not least his mesmerizing eyes. His eyes drew you in. I sensed Takaya had a serene side as well. He lived in the moment. Deep down, I feel/think he knew the archipelago was a safe haven.
Creating the painting of Takaya was a grieving process, and at the same time, paying homage to an extraordinary sentient being. My rendition of the yellow/orange highlights from the sunlight symbolizes Takaya’s last dawn/dusk on this Earth. The blue shadows, with the lines on Takaya’s face represent his consciousness departing from this world and merging with the intelligence/creativity of the Cosmos. The soft pastels lines emanating from Takaya’s back, front of the body, and up from the top of his head represent star dust dispersing and uniting with the Natural world, the galaxies, the Universe – from star dust to star dust.
Everything is impermanent - Impermanence guarantees hunting wolves will end one day.
Because of you, Takaya, my compassion for The Natural World has opened wide and growing now more than ever, and that it’s ok to share my grief with the Natural World. Mother Earth has witnessed your life and your death. She feels, she sees, she hears the people’s grief and it’s loud and clear.
To Takaya:
May you be happy
May you be well
May you peaceful
May you be free.”
Artist Bio
Art has been a part of Christine's life since early childhood. The fascination with drawing the human face began in her late teens. After discovering soft pastels in a drawing class, she devoted herself to soft pastels and portraiture. Although self-taught in portraiture, she studied the Fine Arts program at Heritage College in Gatineau. Christine has created many prominent Inductee portraits for The Skate Canada Hall of Fame such as: Sandra Bezic, Jennifer Robinson, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, Tracy Wilson and Robert McCall, Jeffrey Buttle, and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon.
Christine’s other art interest include photography and digital art. She is also a citizen scientist, a certified nestwatcher, animal rights/climate/environmental activist.
Christine resides at L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet, QC Canada, a location known by white water rafters/kayakers from around the world.
To view more of Christine’s work, please visit the following links.
Website: www.pastelportraits.xyz
Behance: https://www.behance.net/portraitist
Takaya Mosaic: https://chrpastels.wixsite.com/takaya-the-lone-wolf
Instagram: @christine.belanger.art
Artist Statement
“Last fall, in October 2019, I watched the film about Takaya on the Nature of Things. I was struck by his intelligence, resilience, how he adapted, his beauty, and last but not least his mesmerizing eyes. His eyes drew you in. I sensed Takaya had a serene side as well. He lived in the moment. Deep down, I feel/think he knew the archipelago was a safe haven.
Creating the painting of Takaya was a grieving process, and at the same time, paying homage to an extraordinary sentient being. My rendition of the yellow/orange highlights from the sunlight symbolizes Takaya’s last dawn/dusk on this Earth. The blue shadows, with the lines on Takaya’s face represent his consciousness departing from this world and merging with the intelligence/creativity of the Cosmos. The soft pastels lines emanating from Takaya’s back, front of the body, and up from the top of his head represent star dust dispersing and uniting with the Natural world, the galaxies, the Universe – from star dust to star dust.
Everything is impermanent - Impermanence guarantees hunting wolves will end one day.
Because of you, Takaya, my compassion for The Natural World has opened wide and growing now more than ever, and that it’s ok to share my grief with the Natural World. Mother Earth has witnessed your life and your death. She feels, she sees, she hears the people’s grief and it’s loud and clear.
To Takaya:
May you be happy
May you be well
May you peaceful
May you be free.”
Artist Bio
Art has been a part of Christine's life since early childhood. The fascination with drawing the human face began in her late teens. After discovering soft pastels in a drawing class, she devoted herself to soft pastels and portraiture. Although self-taught in portraiture, she studied the Fine Arts program at Heritage College in Gatineau. Christine has created many prominent Inductee portraits for The Skate Canada Hall of Fame such as: Sandra Bezic, Jennifer Robinson, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, Tracy Wilson and Robert McCall, Jeffrey Buttle, and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon.
Christine’s other art interest include photography and digital art. She is also a citizen scientist, a certified nestwatcher, animal rights/climate/environmental activist.
Christine resides at L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet, QC Canada, a location known by white water rafters/kayakers from around the world.
To view more of Christine’s work, please visit the following links.
Website: www.pastelportraits.xyz
Behance: https://www.behance.net/portraitist
Takaya Mosaic: https://chrpastels.wixsite.com/takaya-the-lone-wolf
Instagram: @christine.belanger.art
Artist Statement
“Last fall, in October 2019, I watched the film about Takaya on the Nature of Things. I was struck by his intelligence, resilience, how he adapted, his beauty, and last but not least his mesmerizing eyes. His eyes drew you in. I sensed Takaya had a serene side as well. He lived in the moment. Deep down, I feel/think he knew the archipelago was a safe haven.
Creating the painting of Takaya was a grieving process, and at the same time, paying homage to an extraordinary sentient being. My rendition of the yellow/orange highlights from the sunlight symbolizes Takaya’s last dawn/dusk on this Earth. The blue shadows, with the lines on Takaya’s face represent his consciousness departing from this world and merging with the intelligence/creativity of the Cosmos. The soft pastels lines emanating from Takaya’s back, front of the body, and up from the top of his head represent star dust dispersing and uniting with the Natural world, the galaxies, the Universe – from star dust to star dust.
Everything is impermanent - Impermanence guarantees hunting wolves will end one day.
Because of you, Takaya, my compassion for The Natural World has opened wide and growing now more than ever, and that it’s ok to share my grief with the Natural World. Mother Earth has witnessed your life and your death. She feels, she sees, she hears the people’s grief and it’s loud and clear.
To Takaya:
May you be happy
May you be well
May you peaceful
May you be free.”
Artist Bio
Art has been a part of Christine's life since early childhood. The fascination with drawing the human face began in her late teens. After discovering soft pastels in a drawing class, she devoted herself to soft pastels and portraiture. Although self-taught in portraiture, she studied the Fine Arts program at Heritage College in Gatineau. Christine has created many prominent Inductee portraits for The Skate Canada Hall of Fame such as: Sandra Bezic, Jennifer Robinson, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, Tracy Wilson and Robert McCall, Jeffrey Buttle, and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon.
Christine’s other art interest include photography and digital art. She is also a citizen scientist, a certified nestwatcher, animal rights/climate/environmental activist.
Christine resides at L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet, QC Canada, a location known by white water rafters/kayakers from around the world.
To view more of Christine’s work, please visit the following links.
Website: www.pastelportraits.xyz
Behance: https://www.behance.net/portraitist
Takaya Mosaic: https://chrpastels.wixsite.com/takaya-the-lone-wolf
Instagram: @christine.belanger.art