well now. i am not usually a fan of Neosurrealist art nor digital art in general, but a a certain Mr George Grie grasped hold of something quite good here. For several years now I've kept an eye on his work and occasionally posted his pictures. Here is one of special significance to me, and you will see why.

"This picture was inspired by Franklin's lost expedition that departed England in 1845. It was a doomed British voyage of Arctic exploration of 128 men led by Captain Sir John Franklin. Royal Navy officer and experienced explorer had served on three previous Arctic expeditions. His fourth and last, was meant to traverse the last un-navigated section of the Northwest Passage." -George Grie


This is of special significance to me because I recently recorded an intense cover of legendary Canadian Singer/Songwriter Stan Rogers' (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) song Northwest Passage. Stan's song is on the very same topic. It will be available soon for free download, I will post the info about that up here shortly. Here are the lyrics:

Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage

To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;

Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage

And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.

 Westward from the Davis Strait 'tis there 'twas said to lie
 The sea route to the Orient for which so many died;
 Seeking gold and glory, leaving weathered, broken bones
 And a long-forgotten lonely cairn of stones.

 Three centuries thereafter, I take passage overland
 In the footsteps of brave Kelso, where his "sea of flowers" began
 Watching cities rise before me, then behind me sink again
 This tardiest explorer, driving hard across the plain.

 And through the night, behind the wheel, the mileage clicking west
 I think upon Mackenzie, David Thompson and the rest
 Who cracked the mountain ramparts and did show a path for me
 To race the roaring Fraser to the sea.

 How then am I so different from the first men through this way?
 Like them, I left a settled life, I threw it all away.
 To seek a Northwest Passage at the call of many men
 To find there but the road back home again.

"Stan seemed to regard the sea as the last great romantic frontier." -Evans & Doherty, from "The Lock-Keeper" on the album "An East Coast Tribute"