I’m proud to share another chapter in my Canvases of Kindness initiative, this time supporting an institution that protects and celebrates the waterways that have inspired so much of my work.

Earlier this year, I donated my Ragged Falls painting to the Canadian Canoe Museum for their inaugural Lakeside Gala: Celebrating Excellence in the Making. It was an honour to have my work included, and I was blown away by what the community achieved together.

Through ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, auction proceeds, and the support of artists, makers, and businesses, the gala raised an incredible 150,000 dollars, plus another 50,000 dollars in-kind. These funds directly support the Museum’s mission, keeping our stories on the water alive through exhibitions, education, and immersive experiences that connect people across Canada and beyond.

As someone who grew up exploring the lakes, rivers, and portages of Ontario, contributing to a museum dedicated to that heritage means a great deal.

About the Artwork: Ragged Falls

Ragged Falls, Algonquin / Muskoka
Acrylic on canvas, 20x30 inches

Ragged Falls sits on the southwest edge of Algonquin Park, and if you have ever hiked in, you know how powerful this spot feels. The hike is easy, but the payoff is huge with raw force, rushing water, and those familiar Algonquin shadows that shift and reveal the landscape in a way that never gets old.

When I was planning this painting, there were countless vantage points I could have chosen. I settled on this view because the scene framed itself almost naturally with deep shadow on the left, tree cover overhead, and on the lower right, the surge of water blasting forward as it is pushed in a new direction. It is a view that tells the story of the landscape without needing words.

From Exhibition to Impact

This painting was originally part of my Algonquin Reverie exhibition, which ran from April 26th to June 19th, 2024, at the Algonquin Park Visitors Centre Gallery. After the show wrapped, I chose to donate the piece to the Canadian Canoe Museum’s Lakeside Gala, where it found a new home and helped raise meaningful funds for their mission.

There is something special about seeing a work travel from a gallery wall into a new collector’s hands, especially when it supports a cause that protects the places that inspired it.