I was drawn to the peaceful prone pose of the model though we are left not knowing her waking thoughts. The decision to ‘crop’ the composition to only show her from the shoulder up was an easy one. Anymore would be a distraction from the person. We’ve intruded enough into her world.

It wasn’t easy letting this one go. Some paintings feel almost like family. But I am glad she is bringing a source of peaceful contemplation to another.

The languid rhythm of the woman’s curves is accentuated by the near parallel lines of her upper back and upper legs, and the upper arms and lower back. The angle of the lower legs stops the eyes from sliding down the legs and out of the painting.

The nude model on the thick duvet suggests both comfort and a sense of security. No person should have to sleep in fear or shame.

Moving from the curves of the model above to the mountains of Montana, the rhythmic shapes of the landscape fascinate me. I painted this scene of Rock Creek in Montana for a friend who grew up near this beautiful scenic spot. I pushed the colours a little to give a sense of a late summer evening in harmony with the creek. Yes, I took some artistic licence. I’m glad I did.

I am not an equine artist, however, I could not resist painting this magnificent young horse. It gave me a deep appreciation for those who have devoted untold years up close to these incredible animals, learning the intricacies of the muscle masses and how they move. I settle for portraying a sense of the energy and spirit of the animal. Not bad for a non-equine painter. The person who owns this must have thought so too.

Back in the late 1990s, I was doing some technical contracting for the Canadian Coast Guard, which included visiting several lighthouses by helicopter, including this one at Carmanah Point on Vancouver Island. I knew at least one of the photos I took would one day turn into a painting. There were two lightkeepers’ houses at this site. The other one sat back closer to the forest, slightly sheltered and not as close to the massive air powered fog horn (a new, more efficient “electronic horn” was being installed, but I doubt it shook the earth like the sonorous twin metal horns).

I chose this curious angle for a lighthouse (in that there is no water in sight) primarily for the light. It’s also somewhat the view when wandering off the West Coast Trail. In fact, it was a couple who hiked the multi-day route who bought it many years ago.

I spent most of my childhood in this valley. Our home in Smithers, BC had a ‘picture window’ facing the mountain. This view is from Telkwa, about 15 km east of Smithers. This will always be my standard when someone calls a hump in the landscape ‘a mountain.’