Winter-C'est L'Hiver

Janis Zroback

Winter-C'est L'Hiver


“C’est L’Hiver is part of the Winter Collection, and is part 2 of “Mon Pays” (My Country)...this too is my country…Janis

Watercolour on Arches Paper..

Mon pays ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver ((‘My country is not a country, it’s winter’)
Mon jardin ce n’est pas un jardin, c’est la plaine
Mon chemin ce n’est pas un chemin, c’est la neige
Mon pays ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver …Gilles Vigneault composer….

Here are three different versions of this wonderful song that epitomises Canada…

Mon Pays Music..Gilles Vigneault

Mon Pays Music..Carolyne Jomphe

Mon Pays Music..Monique Leyrac



Winter-C'est L'Hiver belongs to the following groups:

Complex Simplicity of Art, Art Inspired by Dreams, AW Welcome Center, Contemporary Professional Painters and Sculptors, Decorative and Traditional Art, Fine Arts, Impressionist Art, Landscape Painting, Light In The Darkness, Live, Love, Dream: , Music Inspired Art (M.I.A) music links/lyrics required, Safe Haven, Spiritual Art, The Healing Journey and The Patchwork Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints
Winter-C'est L'Hiver by Janis Zroback
Winter-C'est L'Hiver by Janis Zroback
  • Janis Zroback

    Janis Zroback


    ‘Mon Pays.’ Song commissioned from Gilles Vigneault by the National Film Board for Arthur Lamothe’s 1965 film La Neige a fondu sur la Manicouagan. Vigneault wrote both the words and the music and completed the song in 1964. The opening phrase – ‘Mon pays, ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver’ (‘My country is not a country, it’s winter’) – provides a good illustration of the metaphoric character of the song, in which Vigneault speaks above all of winds, cold, snow, and ice. The weather of northern Quebec can be viewed as a metaphor for its cultural isolation. But ‘in this land of snowstorms’ the author still vows to remain faithful and hospitable like his father before him, who built a home there: ‘the guestroom will be such that people from the other seasons will come and build next door to it.’ He also evokes in the second verse the solitude of wide open spaces and the ideal of brotherhood. Vigneault then ends with these words: ‘My country is not a country, it’s the reverse of a country that was neither country nor homeland. My song is not a song, it’s my life. It is for you that I want to possess my winters.’

  • Solomon Walker

    Solomon Walker

    so beautiful! winter is definitely in the air!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much Solomon…

  • Joanne Bradley

    Joanne Bradley

    This is such a great tribute to Gilles Vigneault! The song really is representative of Quebec and the beauty of its north! And even an ” Anglophone” like me knows most of the words…
    Your work Winter-C’est l’hiver is an exceptional interpretation! As I mentioned before your skill in capturing our Canadian elements is “magnifique”!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you Joanne…in my first year of University, I sang that song in the great hall in front of the whole student body, not then aware of it’s political significance…it was not yet my country as it is now, but I loved the song, and still do…..Ginette Reno does a lovely version…can’t find it on youtube though…

  • Janis Zroback

    Janis Zroback


    ‘Mon Pays’ earned its author, among other honours, the Prix Félix-Leclerc, awarded by the Montreal Festival du disque (1965). For her performance of the song, Monique Leyrac won the International Day grand prize at the International Song Festival, Sopot, Poland (1965). Patsy Gallant recorded a disco version in French and also one in English under the title ‘From New York to L.A.’ with lyrics completely different from those of the original, which was disowned by the author. This version was extremely popular in Canada and the US in 1976. Vigneault performs ‘Mon Pays’ on the LPs Gilles Vigneault à la Comédie-Canadienne, Mon Pays, and Les Grands Succès de Gilles Vigneault, as well as on Les Chansonniers du Québec (2-RCI 360-361), J’ai vu le loup, le renard et le lion (Les Productions du 13 août VLC-13), and Les Chansons d’or du Québec (Deram DEF-1000). Several other artists have recorded the song, including Salome Bey, Neil Chotem (instrumental version), Roger Doucet, the Ensemble Claude-Gervaise, Judy Lander (as ‘My Country’), Danielle Licari, Monique Leyrac, Ginette Reno, Gaston Rochon, Catherine Sauvage, Michel Louvain, Michèle Richard and René Simard. André Gagnon used it as the theme for the first movement of the fourth concerto of Mes Quatre Saisons. The text alone has appeared in a collection of Vigneault’s poems, Avec Les Vieux Mots (Quebec 1964). Edith Fowke gives the words and music in Canadian Vibrations (Toronto 1972). The sheet music (harmonization and arrangement by Gaston Rochon) was published by the Éditions du Vent qui vire.

    “Mon Pays” was inducted by the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.

  • LindaMcCarthy

    LindaMcCarthy

    From Autumn to Winter..and what a beautiful transition and painting! Dynamic contrast of warmth and cold. Excellent work!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    I’m so pleased you like this one Linda…winter is Canada, and Canada is winter…it means a lot to us, and this song is like an anthem to winter and to the country…

  • zangi12

    zangi12

    wonderful texture ,i can feel the freezing in my bones.
    i like it.

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Aren’t you glad that it’s warm where you are? So nice to see you…thanks S..

  • Irene Burdell

    Irene Burdell

    Beautiful work Janis.

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you Irene…I’m so pleased you like it.

  • Martilena

    Martilena

    Love it….:)

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much Martilena…

  • Linda Callaghan

    Linda Callaghan

    beautiful artwork again Janis – I enjoy every one of your paintings and study them all – I love the way you layer the paint and create the depth.

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you Linda…I’m really glad you enjoy my work..

  • Racheli

    Racheli

    OH…....exquisite winterish texture, i esteem your ability to create a “heavy” winter, with so much warmth, as if Toronto’s winter almost endurable…..no below…..lol

    I love the songs, it took me far behind, pleasantly, thank you very much Janis.

  • Janis Zroback replied

    I’m glad you like my winter scenes Rachel…they are in the impressionistic style as is most of my landscapes…I really like painting in that style…thank you so much.

  • Linda Ridpath

    Linda Ridpath

    This is a fabulous painting Janis, loveit!!!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much Linda…I’m glad you do.

  • ROUBLE RUST

    ROUBLE RUST

    Lovely!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much and thank you also for choosing some of my work as your favourites…

  • Miraart

    Miraart

    Great one!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much…

  • izzybeth

    izzybeth

    beautiful

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much…

  • DanaMS

    DanaMS

    Beautiful work Janis!! Congratulations on the feature!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much Dana…glad you like it.

  • kjgordon

    kjgordon

    nice to see winter.,............

  • Janis Zroback replied

    It can be nice when you’re dressed for it…thanks KJ..

  • kjgordon

    kjgordon

    well that leave me out…...........Of the cold>>>>>>>>>>

  • Alison Pearce

    Alison Pearce

    Beautiful!!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much Alison…

  • Jen Whyte

    Jen Whyte

    This simplicity of water-colour painting is so difficult to achieve but this is perfection!

  • Janis Zroback replied 23 days ago

    I find that for me watercolour is best when it’s done in a more loose impressionistic style…I’m glad you like it…thank you so much.

  • LisaB entity

    LisaB entity

    LOVE THE Above NICE WORK!!!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much…

  • firstglance

    firstglance

    awesome janis love the color and depth in this well done !!!!!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thank you so much…I’m really glad you like it.

  • John Fish

    John Fish

    I love this. the washes are so beautiful and yet there is a dramatic quality to that hard dark edge.

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Thanks again John..it’s so nice of you to come by and comment on my work….

  • crisward

    crisward

    Love it your texture!!! So rich…

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Welcome and thank you so much…

  • Holly Cawfield

    Holly Cawfield

    My goodness… what a pleasure it is to look through your gallery Janis! This is another beautiful piece. I love the rough brush strokes that you’ve used with care and delicacy. Wonderful contrasts of light and colour and once again you take the viewer right into the scene. Your work is SO impressive!

  • Janis Zroback replied

    Some of my favourite landscape paintings in my portfolio, are of Canada in winter, and especially north western Ontario where my husband was born…I love using all the blues and I can let my imagination have full rein…thank you so much Holly…

  • EvaBridget

    EvaBridget 23 days ago

    Excellent watercolour – really beautiful!

  • Janis Zroback replied 23 days ago

    Thank you so much Eva…very nice of you…

  • Janis Zroback

    Janis Zroback 23 days ago

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