Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

In Arctic Precision, I wanted to celebrate the striking agility and unmatched migratory resilience of the Arctic tern. This vertical canvas features the bird suspended in a dramatic, head-first dive directly in front of a monumental teal iceberg, its sharp red bill pointing straight down in a moment of absolute calculation. This tiny avian resident completes the longest migration of any animal on Earth - journeying annually from the High Arctic to the edge of Antarctica and back - making its physical mastery and sharp focus a testament to extreme evolutionary adaptation.

To inject this high-stakes descent with a pulsing energy, I allowed the towering wall of the iceberg to dominate the canvas in rich, multi-layered shades of textured turquoise and aquamarine. I contrasted this massive wall against a dense, colourful tapestry of dark indigo and violet mosaic tiles on the left to compress the space and focus all attention on the bird's plunge. My goal is to invite you to marvel at the global connections carried by northern wildlife, while reminding us of the vulnerability of the icy marine habitats they return to every year.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

In Free Swim off Bylot Island, I wanted to celebrate the true sovereignty and wild grace of the Arctic's iconic white whales. The composition centers on an expressive portrait of a beluga breaking the water’s surface, its gentle eye and characteristic "smile" conveying a sense of playful optimism and deep intelligence. By deliberately positioning this wide-roaming pod within an unbounded, vast wilderness, this canvas stands as a deliberate, timely counter-narrative to the tragic plight of captive belugas that often dominate international headlines. Where concrete walls constrain these highly social creatures, Free Swim off Bylot Island honours their freedom.

To emphasize this vast sense of sanctuary, I painted the ocean as a rich, colourful tapestry of deep blues, purples, and magentas, contrasted against the heavily crevassed ridges of Bylot Island. By rendering the water line translucent across the foreground whale, I invite you to step into their dual world. My goal is to forge an emotional connection that moves past curiosity, challenging us to protect the expansive, open-water habitats these extraordinary animals rightfully inherit.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

Named to honour the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's Coronation Glacier carries a history tied to human sovereignty. Born from my time physically camping within this vast northern wilderness, Majesty at Coronation Glacier draws directly from the raw energy of the polar landscape to subvert that colonial legacy.

The true sovereign here is not a distant monarch, but the magnificent walrus- crowned by the celestial radiance of the northern lights and entirely at home within an ancient, vulnerable ecosystem that now faces unprecedented climate disruption.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

In Under-Ice Encounter, I wanted to dive beneath the frozen surface to highlight the unsung keystone species of the polar marine food web. This vignette captures a spotted ringed seal gliding effortlessly alongside a sheer wall of submerged ice, while a curious Arctic cod peers out from a hidden crevice. Both of these creatures serve as vital structural links in the Arctic ecosystem, acting as the primary food source that sustains apex predators like polar bears.

By capturing this subtle interaction against a pulsing, pointillist deep blue sea, I wanted to illustrate the hidden vitality and playful optimism that still thrive under the ice. This underwater sanctuary is entirely dependent on the stability of the sea ice above.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

With Call to Action, I used the vital, surging energy of a trio of snow geese ascending over fragmented Arctic waters to explore the power of collective movement. The composition is charged with sound and motion, showcasing the birds with outstretched wings and open bills, their stark white plumage cutting dynamically against the sea. By capturing the dramatic moment of a powerful takeoff - marked by a heavy splash of textured white foam - I wanted to ground their physical resilience in an urgent, vocal rallying cry.

This flock serves as a central metaphor for the core message of my exhibition: a collective awakening and a shared push toward environmental advocacy.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 - Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

In Over the Edge, I used a striking vertical composition to capture the environmental precariousness facing the Arctic’s apex predator.

By anchoring this massive polar bear at the very summit of a melting iceberg, looking directly down at the viewer, I wanted to create an immediate sense of structural tension. The bear’s heavy paws and dark claws, gripping the narrow ice shelf, highlight a species hanging on the brink of a rapidly changing climate.

To emphasize this pressure, I set the bear against a dense background of deep cobalt and indigo mosaic patterns. Rather than a vast, open Arctic sky, this heavy, textured blue wall presses in from behind, pushing the bear right to the edge of the canvas.

By crowding the bear forward alongside the melting icicles and layered ice, the composition forces a direct, eye-to-eye encounter, confronting you with the immediate reality of a landscape in collapse.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

In Waiting, I wanted to focus entirely on the silent, suspended tension that governs survival on the frozen tundra. This canvas captures a massive polar bear leaning over a seal breathing hole cut into the sea ice, its powerful hind paws anchored on a textured ridge of turquoise ice. In the High Arctic, a bear may wait for hours or even days at a single hole for a seal to surface - a focused posture that embodies extreme patience and represents the fine line between life and starvation.

To transform this heavy stillness into a pulsing environment, I emphasized the profound contrast of scale across the endless plain of sea ice. I constructed the landscape using a meticulous grid of pale grey, blues and white blocks, introducing two separate breathing holes to highlight the tactical chess match of the hunt. Together, the polar bear, the deep indigo hole in the foreground, and the seal hole far in the distance form a distinct triangulated geometry. With the number three representing balance and interconnectedness, this dynamic trio maps out the calculated risks of a shifting landscape.

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

What spirits guard the landscape when the human world retreats into slumber? Inspired by living for 11 days in a canvas tent on the sea ice off Baffin Island, While We Sleep explores the quiet overnight equilibrium between human presence and the raw forces of the North. The row of glowing shelters includes my own, emphasizing our fragile footprint resting beneath a vast northern expanse.

With the sun remaining continuously below the horizon during this deep winter cycle, a raven takes flight across the foreground. Drawing on northern mythological symbolism where the raven stands as a powerful transformer and vigilant guardian, its flight bridges the human and spiritual realms.

I rendered the perpetual night sky in dense, pulsing pointillism, split by a vibrant, mosaic-like ribbon of green and gold aurora borealis, while the mountains rise through rhythmic linework matching the sky's energy. By juxtaposing our structures with the enduring sovereignty of the raven, this piece reframes the Arctic as a living sanctuary that remains awake, protective, and profoundly alive even while we sleep

Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026   https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/

The Departure captures a moment of quiet transition through the deep mythology of the High Arctic. This painting frames an intimate dialogue between a sitting polar bear and a soaring raven- two native guardians of the northern landscape. Leaning into the sacred symbolism of the raven as a messenger and spiritual guide, I wanted to explore how these animals navigate changing seasons and the profound transformations taking place within their territory.

The composition relies on a strong diagonal tension, matching the bear's upward gaze with the upward swoop of the raven. To charge this interaction with life, I set the animals against a dense, vibrant sky of turquoise, cobalt, and violet mosaic strokes, which contrasts sharply with the quiet, snow-dotted curves of the ice below. By locking the bear and raven into this closely cropped frame, the painting transforms a simple animal encounter into a timeless, sacred moment of connection.

Who needs the “bright lights” of the city?

We find ourselves mesmerized by the owl and his nighttime flight.

Colour and texture fill the painting!
The hills that cut across the background are alight with bold colours.
The “evergreens” add depth as they are seen below,
and their reds along with the golden forest floor add to the vibrancy of the nighttime scene.

Horizontal lines of deep blues within the sky and water alternate with the reds, framing the scene.
The birch and pine trees cut through the horizontal sections in both their vertical direction and their turquoise tones.

The barred owl seems illuminated as its natural colours pop against the background.
It’s on the right side of the canvas but looking to fly left across the scene,
inviting the viewer to join the owl’s flight path through the forest.