This was a busy week, with painting workshops led by Susanne Hausermann (a giant sunflower), Leslie Leong (a moose), Dee Bailey (a lynx) and Neil Graham (a starscape). Watch the video for some great moose stories, and read more stories about northern life in the text below the video.

Sunflowers

“A friend of mine gave me a large pot of what she said were sunflowers. As they started to grow, I thought they looked strange. It turns out they weren’t sunflowers at all, but were peas! – Susanne Hausermann, artist and workshop leader.

Lynx

“I was at my cabin (at the end of Squatter’s Row in Whitehorse) and a lynx came and laid down near us. It stayed there for about 20 minutes, and didn’t seem bothered by us at all! ” – Whitehorse workshop participant

“Encounters with a lynx in nature are incredibly special. Many First Nations people say to see a lynx is very lucky, and I feel the same. One of my favourite visits was on the Auriol Trail in Kluane/Dan Keyi. As I walked up the trail I noticed an animal sitting ahead. I called to it but it didn’t move. I thought it was possibly a dog and expected to see its owner soon. As I slowly neared, I realized it was a large cat. I stopped, took pictures and just experienced the moment. I took a few more steps closer, the lynx stood, stretched and pranced off into the trees. I am grateful for the peaceful moment with this majestic beauty.” – artist and workshop leader Dee Bailey