I was very pleased to have the opportunity to paint this commission for my aunt and uncle. The subject matter is dear to me, this property belonged to my family for a couple of decades. It’s a log cabin in the woods near Millarville, Southwest of Calgary. It was originally built in the 1920s with an addition that was added in the 1950s. For many years, it’s where my extended family celebrated holidays, and some of my fondest memories of my grandparents are there, too. A large part of the inspiration for this work was my grandad’s affection for the shimmering aspen, as he called them, and that particular colour of bright green they’d have in the spring. Their round leaves are darker on one side than the other, and it makes for a sparkling effect when the wind buffets them to and fro.
