a scene from Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia
Acrylic on masonite, 27 7/8 x 27 7/8 in. (1997)

The idyllic spin on tourist spots like Peggy’s Cove sometimes belies the struggle to keep head and hearth above water. With the rising and falling (in this scene) tide, aeons of barnacles, saltwater invasion and rot are revealed in the orange shorelines and distorted piles. Beautiful, but a struggle nonetheless.

The dimensions are unusual, 28 7/8 in. square. This is a format that defines the usual notions of the 1.6:1 classic proportion, whether landscape or portrait. However, the original frame used on this painting was actually an old window, glass removed (naturally). The picture was designed to suit a frame this time, rather than the other way around.