Arctic Sentinel

54″ × 81”, oil on linen (2016) Solitary Tor, Ivvavik National Park, Yukon, Canada

From the INTO THE ARCTIC Project

Hiking the ancient mountains near the Firth River in Ivvavik National Park, I felt transported back in time. Past each ridge lay another epic view of a vast, beautiful, and rugged land. On one occasion, the raging winds momentarily paused. In those few minutes, I experienced a silence like I had never known. I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, a peaceful awe overcame me as I gazed at the endless mountain ridges and craggy tors, heaving out of the earth like the backs of dinosaurs.

Normal weather returned, and with howling winds and rain testing my tarp, I began painting this scene. The sun broke out, and then quickly disappeared. But while poking through the grey, it caught the arctic sentinel before me and became the highlight of my journey.