See also Unloading Logs, Squamish, BC, Image #0954 and Log Terminal, Squamish, British Columbia, Image #1357.

Apart from a few grain elevators and several churches, the horizon of this prairie town is unbroken. The marshalling yard for the railroad is a major feature in this town and the lines that run from that yard seem to stretch out forever. I find landscape as featureless as this a real challenge to paint because of its blandness.

To someone who has lived his entire life inland, the ways of things maritime are mysterious and fascinating. The size of naval equipment staggers me as I am unable to compare these machines to anything on land. I observed this bit of off-loading just off the coast of Russia.

On a boat tour of the harbour at Sault Ste. Marie, we were fortunate enough to get very close to the steel plant and all the excitement of the unloading ore ships. At times like that, I can take lots of photos that then become the foundation for paintings.

As the collector’s plate idea caught fire, Horst Mueller of Christian Bell Porcelain approached me about a series of horses around the world. After several starts, I rejected the idea because I would have had to use photos that I did not take. I always wanted to use my own pictures as then I understand the subject. This outside the blacksmith’s idea was never really a runner, I’m afraid.

The railroad yards near the Bayshore Inn in Vancouver present a striking contrast to the sleek buildings. So often a chance view on the way to some major sight provides something that I choose to paint rather than the major attraction.

These train tracks wind through the mountains between Banff and Lake Louise. In that picturesque area, the ribbons of steel are the only reminder that man has discovered this beauty spot.

While on our cross-Canada trek in preparation for a mural commission from the National Trust Company, we spent a good deal of time in British Columbia and were seduced by the landscape of that province.

To somebody from Ontario the process of lumbering in British Columbia is fascinating. The drama of the boom crane works well as a subject for this painting/drawing in sepia ink and watercolour. I enjoy the linear quality of this kind of work which I seem to use most on pictures outside the Mennonite subject area. Perhaps that change of technique is just a habit that I've fallen into. After thirty-five years, I need to constantly examine my approaches to explore for different handlings on all that I paint.

As the crane sweeps down to grab a log, the men in the foreground examine the hull of a small log-pusher boat. The combination of heavy equipment makes this scene very active, loud and interesting. This contrasts greatly with the mountain passes nearby where calm prevails. I enjoy both ends of the activity scale. See also Unloading Logs, Squamish, BC, Image #0954 and Processing Logs, Squamish, BC, Image #0966.