Painting

Recently, I went to a garden center located on the Six Nations Reserve in southern Ontario to purchase a number of plants native to Ontario for the garden this year. Among them was the plant, Nicotiana sp. - Sacred Indian Tobacco. Upon inquiring after this plant, I was informed that it was not a plant which was customarily exchanged for money, but rather, it was traded for. I was shown the seedlings, but having nothing with me to trade, I could not acquire any. I asked the owner if he would be willing to accept an original painting as a trade, and he agreed it might be possible.

While there, I purchased some sweetgrass - a plant which keeps popping into my life in one way or the other, and holds in its fragrance some of my favorite memories. Incidentally, the name of the garden center is the Sweetgrass Garden Center, so it seemed appropriate that I should make a painting of sweetgrass to trade.

Above is that painting which I will now frame and offer as trade. I tried to make the background representative of the feeling of the atmosphere of the garden center - at least as I recall it being on the day I was there. Superimposed upon this "feeling-scape", is a simple, playful rendering of young sweetgrass.

I realize that I could purchase seeds for the tobacco without difficulty through any number of avenues, but what would there be of living in doing that. I will update this page with the outcome of the trade.

Trade made.


If you are interested in information on the Six Nations Reserve,
follow this link: SIX NATIONS

If you are interested in information on the Sweetgrass Garden Center,
follow this link: SWEETGRASS GARDEN CENTER



Your comments and questions are welcomed. E-mail me.