Original paintings · Muskoka, Ontario
The quiet beauty of Muskoka, softened into paint
Original landscape paintings by Cathleen Vanderpost — birches deep in snow, island pines against a summer sky, the whole Milky Way over a dark line of trees. Painted slowly, from a lifetime of looking.
Meet Cathleen
- 40+ years painting
- 30 years teaching
- Muskoka-based
About the artist
About Cathleen
I have been painting for more than forty years, most of them alongside another life entirely — thirty years and more spent in a classroom, teaching children to notice the world and to trust their own hands. When I retired, the painting simply moved to the centre of the day, where I think it always wanted to be.
These days you will find me at the water's edge here in Muskoka, watching how the light settles on the lake or catches the top of the pines. I paint slowly, layer over layer, chasing the feeling of a place more than every last detail of it — the hush of a northern morning, the deep blue of the lake in late summer, the enormous quiet of a clear winter night.
I paint the places we love up here — the ones that feel like coming home.
Every painting begins with something small that stopped me: the old steamer coming around a point, snow lying deep between the birches, the stars coming out over the pines. If one of them speaks to you, I would be so glad to hear from you.
Thank you for spending a few quiet minutes here. It means more than you know.
Cathleen
Recent work
The Gallery
A gathering of paintings — the lakes, forests, and granite shores of Muskoka and the surrounding cottage country, and the smaller things too: a red barn across a stubble field, daisies in the long grass, four cows who came over to see what I was doing. Each one painted from a moment that asked me to stay a little longer. New pieces appear first on Instagram.
Where to find me
Where to Find Me
When the warm months come, I love to bring a few framed originals and prints to the local markets and set them out where you can see them in person. There is nothing quite like standing in front of a painting in the morning light. Here is where you might find my little booth.
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Bracebridge Farmers' Market
A gentle start to the weekend — a few framed originals and cards, and always time for a chat about the lakes.
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Gravenhurst Wharf Market
Down by the water, where the light is loveliest. A good place to catch the newest small paintings.
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Huntsville Farmers' Market
A friendly market up north — I bring pieces inspired by the forests and rivers around Huntsville.
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Port Carling Market
Right in the heart of the lakes. Perfect for finding a small keepsake of your favourite bay.
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Bala Cranberry & Summer Markets
A seasonal favourite — sunsets, wildflowers, and the colours of Muskoka's turning leaves.
These are examples of the markets I hope to attend — please treat the days and seasons as a guide rather than a promise. The surest way to know exactly where I will be, and when, is to follow along on Instagram, where I share each market before I go.
Say hello
Found something you love?
Instagram is where I share everything first, and it is the easiest way to reach me. If a painting has caught your eye, if you would like to know whether an original is available, or if you simply want to say hello, send me a message there — I read every one and would love to hear from you.
Every painting, print, and commission is handled personally — just send a message and we'll take it from there.