Editor’s Note After our first post (see below) about Canadian Artist David Milne's connection to Alander Mountain, we requested additional information from the professor who had originally contacted us. His response follows.
I am just starting out this project and beginning to do my research so forgive my poor description as I still trying to get a hold on what the project will be.
I am a Canadian artist and educator based in Ithaca New York and have long been an admirer of David Milne’s work from as far back as when I used to visit the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto growing up.
A couple of years ago I went back to take a look at the Milnes which the AGO had as I had become increasingly interested in his work through other contemporary artists being influenced by Milnes painting. I picked up a catalogue there and was interested to discover that he had lived in the U.S. for a long period of time and even more interested to discover that he had built himself a cabin and lived in the woods for a winter atop Alander Mountain.
I am hoping to make a film which will document the former site of Milnes cabin and also the surrounding landscape which he painted. Eventually I hope this results in an exhibition of the film and also a reconstruction of Milnes cabin for the gallery setting.
Landscape painting in Canada has been fundamental in helping shape how Canadians perceive the wilderness, comprehend the vast geography of the country in addition to helping formulate ideas surrounding national identity. It has long been dominated by the Group of Seven and Tom Thompson and not that Milne's influence on Canadian art is neglected but I am really interested in knowing more about the environment and region in which Milne painted abroad and how his time in the New York and Mass influenced his art practice. Partially this is personally motivated as I feel an affinity towards that particular period of his work being a Canadian living in the U.S.
Anyhow thanks for all your help and generous support in helping me look for the site of his cabin. If anybody locally has an additional information surrounding Milnes’ Alander period please feel free to forward on my information so that they may get in touch with me!
All the best
Josh Bonnetta
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