Читать книгу Murder as a Fine Art - John Ballem - Страница 7

High in the Canadian Rockies is a place like no other — eight rustic studios set in the midst of a dense forest of lodge pole pines. Artists, writers, painters, and composers from all over the world flock to this mountain retreat to work on their art in individual studios, free from the distractions of the outside world.

The resort town of Banff, slightly more than an hour’s drive from the city of Calgary, is located in the beautiful Bow River Valley at an altitude of 4,500 feet. Surrounded by the towering and jagged peaks of Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Cascade Mountain, and Mount Norquay, it is an irresistible lure for tourists, skiers, and mountaineers. Although the town itself is small, with a permanent population of only 7,000, it is by far the largest settlement in the Banff National Park, a 2,300 square mile nature preserve. The small number of permanent residents is dwarfed by the five million visitors who stream through the park gates every year.

Overlooking the town of Banff, and facing the massive rock ramparts of Mount Rundle, the Banff Centre of Fine Arts is one of Canada’s most important cultural institutions, providing instruction and training to aspiring artists in their various disciplines. Under the umbrella of the Banff Centre is the Leighton Artist Colony, which caters only to established artists with a proven track record, and offers no instruction, but rather an opportunity to work undisturbed in a setting of inspiring beauty.

As a writer, I have had the benefit of several stays in the colony, and know full well just how creative an environment it is. It is also a closed world, where you are thrown into the company, for weeks or months, of fellow artists from many different countries and cultures. Ideas flow freely at mealtimes and at get togethers in the lounge. In fact, this exchange of ideas and experiences is one of the great benefits of colony life. Nor, let it be said, do these exchanges always remain on the philosophical level. The artists come to the colony on their own, and find themselves in one of the world’s most romantic settings and in the company of attractive and creative companions. It is not surprising that relationships spring up, to flower and usually to die, when the lovers’ stay is over.

Add to this the fact that the artists are established, well known, and come to the colony with large reputations and, in many cases, even larger egos. It’s a heady mix—one that sets the stage for murder.