This is the little footbridge that crosses over a creek in Weaselhead Flats. The wetland area is one of my favorite walks in the city. It is a protected area, and is away from developments. There are lots of wildlife, especially water birds of all kinds. It also has one of the largest coniferous forest of white spruce in the area, which is mostly prairie. The first bridge was built in 1971, but was washed away during a flood. This particular bridge has been in place since 1996. By the time you reach the bridge, you have descended from the main park area onto the wetlands, and the noise of the city has disappeared to be replaced by the trills and chatter of birds and water. It is a simply lovely, tranquil place, where I go often to refresh my soul.
I don't do many landscapes, as I find it difficult to choose what to leave in and where to just "suggest" the trees or forms. But this seemed to be a good photo to work with. The spruce trees were quite fun to do, but I had to remind myself to slow down, and make a conscious decision about how much detail to put in, and where to place the reflection of the bridge, and the shadows of the trees. It also seemed like the right tool for this job was the water color pencils and I really like how they worked here. I feel like I learned a lot from this sketch.
