My passion for the wilderness areas of Canada is rooted in my early exposure to these places as a child. I grew up in a town poised on the edge of many conservation and parks areas so access wasn’t just easy, it was an expected part of the adventure of growing up.

A profound seed was planted when I was exposed to the work of the Group of Seven. The original thinking of artists like Lauren Harris and Arthur Lismer of the Group of Seven, and Europe’s Turner and Cezanne provoked a great deal of thought of my own. I was “seeing” landscape with a fresh eye. I perceived an undulating rhythm coaxing the eye to flow through the interplay of nature’s basic elements; land, wind and water.

I begin with a series of drawings in quick succession, recording some of the shifts in water, wind and on land for later compilation. Where access has made it possible for carrying easel and canvas I produce an underpainting. A quick colour study on a small panel records the essential expressive palette for the studio work to come and photos provide additional reference.

In the studio I fully develop the final composition from the drawings and notes, with the scene still resonating within me. The final piece is a result of layers of flowing line and blended colour, building intensity into the fluid movement of each unique scene.

All images and text © the artist