Spring, Caribou Country 1949

A.Y. Jackson made this painting, Spring, Caribou Country, with oil on what looks like a pretty textured canvas. The colours are really beautiful, like a muted song—greens and blues and whites, all talking about the promise of spring. I love how you can see the brushstrokes, not trying to hide anything. The trees are these quick, almost dancing white marks, and up close, you can see how each one is different. They seem to grow right out of the land. The whole painting feels like it’s breathing, this living, moving thing. It’s not just a picture of a place; it's about how Jackson felt being in that place. For me, it brings to mind the work of Emily Carr, both of them capturing the raw, untamed spirit of the Canadian landscape, each in their own way. Art isn't about answers. It’s about opening up questions and letting us see the world a little differently, a little wider.