Some artists prefer paper such as their canvas of choice: other wood, cloth or even walls. But an artist who lives in Bruce’s peninsula is testing something new this winter: the difficult task of painting snow.
After snow storms swept much of southern Ontario in February, the snow derives from about 8 feet tall swept the Bailey Moffatt front of their family home. After a plow came to clean the path, an idea was born.
“My dad saw that like a blank canvas,” he said. “I’ve never done this before.”
Coming from a family of artists, her father encouraged her to give the snow bank some color. Bailey has spent 25 years as a tattoo artist, but Snow was the first for her.
Fifteen Aerosol paint cans later, two murals from the popular places of the Bruce Peninsula now decorate snow ‘derivations.
“I chose local reference points and a sunset that I thought that the people who lived here would appreciate,” he said.
She chose Flower Pot Island, an iconic milestone off the coast of Tobermory famous for its natural rock pillars, because it would be easily identifiable, he said. The sunset is inspired by the view on Lake Huron from his home in Pike Bay, which has been in his family since the 50s.
It turns out that the appreciation of the mural extends far beyond the peninsula. The Facebook publication of his father’s images has obtained thousands of I like it. She incorporated snow and vegetation mounds to give the more depth murals, playing with layers of paint to build the image.
However, Bailey still has found feelings.
“Everyone seems to like it. I am not happy with that and I am anxious for a remake when we receive a cold click later in the week, and maybe the plow can scrape a new canvas.”
“My dad is very proud of what I did, but honestly, I am ashamed. I would like another opportunity,” said Bailey, and said that if I had known that I would receive so much attention that I would have worked harder on that. Changing a tattoo gun for a bottle of spray paint came with a learning curve.
“I don’t have special nozzles, I don’t have special paint. I am like a layman painting a snowman,” he said. “I learned some things and I am excited about the next attempt.”
Her father, Joe Moffatt, is very proud of her, anyway.
“I just came out and saw the finished product and I was impressed. I know I was going to be good. But Wow,” Joe said.
First he had the idea after seeing snow photos painted online.
Bruce County has won some attention for his snow art, since some anxious painters took high snow derivations in Paisley, just one hour south of Pike Bay in Bruce County, which has since attracted visitors during February.
Heating temperatures mean that Moffatt’s murals are already deteriorating, but fresh snowfall could soon be on their way. Bailey said he will try again when the plow raspe a new canvas after the next great snow.
With concerns for the environment, he said he will be careful once the snow melts to get rid of any color that remains so that it does not filter on earth.
