Ebb & Flow. For most of my life I lived landlocked on the prairies. After years of talking it over with my wife, we decided that we had enough harsh, long winters between the two of us and wanted a change.

And so we packed up and moved to the West Coast, Vancouver Island. And now we find ourselves surrounded by all new flora and fauna. Everything is different. We ended up living right by the water, so every morning I get up and look out the window and am able to see the ebb and flow of the tides as they come in to the inlet I live on. Something that seems foreign and exciting to a prairie kid.

We got our wish, to be able to walk out our door any day of the year, no bone chilling, threatening wind chills. And I can walk every day around the inlet. And every day I see swans, herons, eagles, otters, seals – it all seems so exotic. I have to always remind myself to slow down and really observe these things around me.

This painting is part of a series of monochromatic book paintings, each dealing with a very specific theme.