"In my early teens, my brothers and
friends occasionally drove from Toronto down to the “deep south” in Canada,
looking for birds in the marshes and woodlands of the Lake Erie shore, and
usually, I would ride along. There was one place that especially appealed to all
of us, its name spoken with some reverence by naturalists: Norfolk County. It is
more than a mecca for birders: it is the heart of the Carolinian forest, with
its wooded rivers and stream valleys yielding species of the south: magnolia,
tulip tree, sassafras, black gum, and flowering dogwood. To me, it was exotic,
romantic, and beautiful, and finally, I made it my home.
Just a short distance down the road, over a plank bridge and across my valley,
is Deer Creek, most of it a lake, really. On summer weekends, swimmers and
anglers splash at the beach and cruise its inlets; but most of the time, it is
quiet and alone. On this November morning there wasn't a sound as the mist rose
from the water. I watched the calming grey-upon-grey of the nearby shore, the
distant hills, above the surface and in its reflections. There were no animals,
but when I look at the painting, sometimes I imagine a far-away great blue heron
flying into a cove, or a deer, faintly seen, drinking, down at the
edge." - Ross Bateman
"From the earliest days my brother Ross has been a
kindred spirit. When one is very young, age discrepancy makes a big difference.
I became an active naturalist at the age of 12 or 13. Ross was then 6 or 7. He
made superhuman efforts to be included in our nature explorations. He did not
just tag along. He wanted to be involved and at the centre of things. He
is still that way. As he matured, his sensitivity to the magic of the moment in
the natural world became more and more developed. He brings a sensuality to his
ability to appreciate subtle moods and qualities of landscape that most people
would miss.
His artistic talent was always there. His
skill in drawing seems sure and effortless but always captures the essence of
his subject. His fresh and sophisticated taste in colour and form is very
evident in the eloquent piece “November Morning: Deer Creek”. I have many
favourites among his paintings, but I think that this one really brings out the
quiet dignity of nature at its best." - Robert Bateman
