In the fall of 1921, Frank Johnston left Toronto to accept the position of principal at the Winnipeg School of Art. While living in Winnipeg, he often painted at Lake of the Woods, a large body of water and popular fishing spot some 100 miles southeast of the city. In this pleasing oil sketch, the cloud-filled sky is as much a subject as the lake itself, with a foreground sliver of the water’s surface serving as a mirror. The multiple shades of green Johnston has used for the lakeshore foliage and trees, from emerald to sage green to a deep jade, pull our gaze into the scene and vividly enhance his depiction of a warm summer day at the lake.

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