13/09/2024
“Yukon”
48” x 40” acrylic on canvas. 🟢 Available at ceepemby.com
BACKGROUND:
This is the fifth piece in my “Frontier” series that explores Canadian history. Inspired by the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, the painting pays tribute to some of the natural wonders found in the Yukon, including the Northern Lights, Mount Logan, and the gold fields that compelled an estimated 100,000 people to migrate to the Klondike region in search of their fortune.
I wanted to create a domineering, mountainous landscape featuring Canada’s highest mountain - Mount Logan - with flecks of iridescent gold breaking through the ground. I know that Mount Logan isn’t in the Klondike region, but I took artistic liberty on this particular point, choosing to ignore geographical accuracy and instead opting for artistic expression of the wonders of the Yukon.
The streaks breaking through the gold fields in the foreground were achieved by etching and scratching away the top layers of paint to reveal the gold underneath. I purposefully kept these slashes random and aggressive as a metaphor for the harsh wilderness, frantic prospecting and abrasive quality of life endured by the newcomers at the end of the 19th century. Despite this, each slash mark still contributes a sort of uniformity to the overall perspective of the gold fields, inviting the viewer to follow the rolling movement of its descent over the cliff edge and into the lake below.
I had a very clear vision of the final painting, which makes this piece unique for me. I typically paint through instinct, preferring the real time feedback between myself and the canvas in the moment. “Yukon” however was clear in my mind before I even put the canvas on the easel. As a result, I unintentionally drifted away from abstraction and into the realm of Impressionism/Abstract Expressionism to fully realize this piece.
I hope you like it. If you made it this far, thanks for reading ✌️
