Spring Ice

Oil on canvas.

36x24x1.50"

In the painting Spring Melt, the rugged Canadian Shield is my muse. Her rocky terrain are the bones, the structural foundations of the land we inhabit. The change of seasons begins slowly, imperceptibly. Spring’s embrace warms the land, the frozen waters. The rocky hillsides emerge strikingly. Soon, skies will echo, resonating with songs from her nomadic migrating travellers on wings returning home once again.
I search for the essence of what and who she is. I listen; I feel her every mood. What is revealed? How are we connected? She is us; we are of her. Our existence we owe to her; we are inextricably connected to our lands. Her lands are not barren or devoid of life but instead resonate with energy and vitality. This ancient land remains strong, formidable and unfettered. A place we call home. Quiet and solemn. Dignified.
Tapping into an artist’s visceral feelings, as defined, are those deep-rooted sensations that are difficult to control or ignore and arise purely from the depths of our being, the painting takes shape. Selecting the essential features, applying vibrant, contrasting colours reveals the essence of what this land is. Our true north, strong and free.