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First Ice. 24x24 acrylic on aluminum. My mother immigrated here as a 16 year old. At 19, she married my dad and he brought her along for beaver trapping in the late fall. They paddled to a distant shore and then took a trail to a more distant pond to check his traps early in the morning. When they finally returned to the canoe, ice had formed so they had to break their way in the thin, new ice to get to open water. My mother had never experienced anything like this in a canoe or anywhere for that matter. She became enamored with the ripples tearing up the clear morning ice, the crisp wilderness air, and then, the way the sun glistened so beautifully off those rippling shards of ice. She said it was one of her most memorable moments of those early days here, almost 60 years ago. This was as close as I could get to recreating that image....for now. #artdealer #artgalleries #artcollector #art #canoeing #boundarywaters #bwca #elymn #elymnart #joebaltich #wildernessculture #beavertrapping

Joe Baltich is a veteran wilderness artist born and raised in northeastern Minnesota. Growing up on a wilderness resort which he still operates and having served as a wilderness guide, Joe developed his artistic skills and observations in his early life. He sold commissioned works that paid for much of his college education. Then, life and business got in the way and Joe took a 32 year hiatus from painting only having returned back to the brush in 2014. He now paints commissioned works with a growing art business as well as many pieces for his Inspire Wild Art Exhibit at Northwind Lodge which features the famous Painted Canoe of Ely. Joe presently serves as the head artist for the non-profit educational organization, Into The Brush...