Remember, I’ve kept saying that in order to evolve artistically, you have to take risks. Well, the biggest and most rewarding risk I ever took was collaborating with a fellow Artist named Craig Friesen (20 years my younger). Together we formed a collaborative called Quality Painters. I took so many risks working with Craig, it was positively liberating, and it made me a better artist as a result. These works are a direct result of working in Quality Painters. My Mother was dying, and I did not know how to deal with her loss. She was awesome, and she led me down this path I am now on. She had an amazing life, and her illness was long and sad to watch. She passed away nearly two years ago, and I am so glad she is no long-er suffering. These paintings are made with Acrylic house paint mis-tints on oak panels. The drawing were made from my mother’ photographs from the 1950’s when she was a teenaged French Canadian girl who left Montreal and worked as an elevator operator at Lake Louise. I needed a way to work through some of my grief, so I began making these pieces from her photos. I also began adding narrative and text to the paintings. What I like about these paintings is everything. The freed me from the landscapes, and made me enjoy making my landscapes even more. The are rustic looking pieces, and a little bit retro. They would look amazing in someone’s cabin in the mountains. These paintings also helped me work through my sadness, and allowed me to celebrate a life that was inspirational.