Kayla Donaldson
Call of the Wilderness
Name of the Paddle: Call of the Wilderness
Display Location: Rosie’s Dockside Bar and Grill, Coboconk
Artist Name: Kayla Donaldson
Medium: Permanent Marker on a Beaver Tail Aspen Wood Paddle
Artist Bio: I am from the hamlet of Glenarm located in the Kawartha Lakes. I enjoy artistic hobbies like drawing, photography and crafting. I fit these into my passions of camping, hiking, fishing, four wheeling, kayaking, birding, etc. I am mostly a hobbyist photographer, but enjoy drawing as a means of focusing, de-stressing and connecting to my inner-self.
I feel lucky to live in the Kawartha Lakes and be surrounded by the small towns, and abundance of lakes and rivers offered here. My favourite part about the Trent-Severn Waterway is the small towns. I love visiting the different towns along the Trent-Severn Waterway, and what makes them so different. They all have one similarity though, their friendly small town atmospheres, which is exactly what draws me into them.
Paddle Description: My artwork explores my relationship between being human and my love of the wilderness. I naturally gravitate towards being creative and artistic which allows me to de-stress and vent my feelings onto many different mediums. More recently in my life, I have been diving into learning about my heritage and have been creating pieces that showcase my ancestry though my connection to the natural world.
The loon itself represents me and is the connection between myself (just a few of my passions) and the wilderness. The items inside the loon (the sunshine, a canoe, the fish and the trees) represent a select few of my passions that I enjoy doing in the physical world. The items showcased on the outside (water and reeds) signify my spiritual connection to the wilderness.
I chose the loon because of my love of birds and my family connection. A story that resonates with me is about a girl who shapeshifts into a loon. After her transformation, she leaves a flute near her family home so they can always call to her. The family bond represented in this story shows the bond I have with my family, whether they are in the physical or spiritual world.
Where to find more of Kayla Donaldson’s art:
- Facebook – Kandid Kayla Photography
- Instagram – kandidkaylaphotography_
