n 2020, I embarked on a transformative artistic endeavor, dedicating myself to creating a watercolour painting daily. A homage to Alberta’s extraordinary skyline, capturing its dramatic beauty and ever-changing allure. Little did I know that the arrival of COVID-19 in March would infuse my work with an entirely new significance, forever altering its meaning.

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Amidst the uncertainty and challenges of the pandemic, my paintings became a poignant reminder of the importance of mental wellness and self-care. Serving as a gentle nudge to venture outdoors, breathe in the fresh air, and find solace in the expansive sky. Regardless of our physical separation, the sky binds us together reminding us we are never truly alone in our struggles.

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With this collection of 366 daily watercolours, 12 monthly oil paintings, and one halo piece it is now time to celebrate our backyard. Recognizing that we live in a province that holds so many natural wonders from the many waterfalls, the badlands, a number of national and provincial parks, a Boreal Forest that hosts one of the only places the endangered Whooping Crane lives / migrates to and from, the Rocky Mountains, and impressively nutriend-rich soil for farmland (which I personally love seeing haybales and canola fields). We awe visitors for many reasons and we surprise them with our amazing skies and canola fields, among many others. I speak about that personally as I was new to Alberta in 2006 and I fell in love and have not looked back.

 

It doesn’t matter if you are a homebody working on the farm or an avid adventurer backpacking through Waterton or th eRockies. There is an innumerable list of reasons why this is the time for Celebrating Our Backyard.

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I invite you to look up and explore our skies, watch the creation of a skyscape over the next two months, and create your own skyscape or flower in the little corner garden with a view.