"Mountain Lake" (1968) – Original Oil Landscape by Joan Levy

"Mountain Lake" (1968) – Original Oil Landscape by Joan Levy-Earle Title: Mountain Lake Artist: Joan Levy-Earle (Signed J. Levy) Date Created: March 8, 1968 Medium: Original Oil on "Academy" Canvas Board (M. Grumbacher, Toronto/New York) Dimensions: 16" x 20" (Canvas Panel) | Includes vintage mid-century wooden gallery frame Condition: Excellent vintage condition. Paint remains vibrant with fine impasto texture. Reverse backing paper shows natural age-related toning and minor edge tearing, fully preserving the historic inscriptions. Provenance: Outstanding personal provenance. Features a complete historical archive handwritten on the reverse by the artist. Detailed Visual Description A pristine and tranquil mid-century Canadian landscape capturing the majestic scale of the glacier-fed lakes of the Canadian Rockies. The composition features towering, snow-capped peaks painted in cool blue and white tones, overlooking a vibrant turquoise alpine lake. The middle ground is dense with towering evergreen pine trees, while the immediate foreground bursts with rich, impressionistic pink and purple summer wildflowers (regional fireweed) and silvery-green brush. The piece is signed and dated by the artist in the lower-right corner (J. LEVY '68), incised directly into the wet oil paint. Exceptional Provenance & Inscriptions (The Verso) The reverse of this piece offers a rare, complete historical record handwritten entirely by the artist, making it a highly desirable collector's piece: Original Gallery Label: Features the manufacturer's stamp from M. Grumbacher (New York/Toronto), with the title "Mountain Lake", signed "Joan Levy", and dated "Mar 8/1968". The price box is crossed out with an "X", indicating it was held back as a treasured personal piece. Handwritten Poem: Features an original 6-line poem titled "On Friendship", composed and dated by the artist in August 1967, and signed Joan Levy. Personal Dedication: Below the poem, a formal birthday dedication reads: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIEND! Painted especially for Father Seymour with deep affection — Joan Levy-Earle. "On Friendship" (August 1967) Friendship is a golden thread Of warmth and generosity, A flame of light to brighten lonely hearts, To sip its nectar once Develops new emotion One cannot live alone again.— Joan Levy HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIEND!" Note for Collectors: The transition from her maiden signature (J. Levy / Joan Levy) on the 1967/1968 elements to her married signature (Joan Levy-Earle) on the dedication beautifully maps the timeline of her early life and career. About the Artist: Joan Levy-Earle (Canadian, 1944–2020) Joan Levy-Earle was a highly accomplished Ontario-based landscape artist, author, and prominent figure in the Canadian Catholic community. Over a prolific career spanning four decades, she held more than 20 solo art exhibitions across major cultural hubs including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Kingston between 1977 and 1996. Levy-Earle viewed her artistic talent as a spiritual calling, a philosophy deeply reflected in the serene, reverent quality of her wilderness landscapes. Beyond the canvas, she was a celebrated literary figure who authored 14 books, wrote the weekly "Hopelines" column for Cornwall’s Standard-Freeholder newspaper for 25 years, and served as the associate editor for Toronto's historic Canadian Messenger of the Sacred Heart magazine. Her deep ties to her faith are beautifully cemented on the reverse of this painting through its heartfelt dedication to Father Seymour Nearest intersection Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue