This is a century-old former boarding house near Commercial Drive in East Van. The owners had completely renovated the exterior by removing the old stucco finish to expose the original wood beneath. They asked that a hint of the pre-reno house be represented somehow, so that’s the right-hand side part that seems to be in the shadow. There’s a bit of the old dark brown trim style, too.

There is also a lovely casually manicured garden full of personal symbols and memories. Lucky are people and the animals who get to sit there. I positioned their little dachshund near the stairs and put their pretty cat perched on top of one of the columns. I also put a tribute to another cat they had (RIP) up in the right-hand tree, like the Cheshire Cat.

I made the distortion vaguely pyramidic because it seems like a house with a solid base. The columns and fence wiggle like toes in the sun. The season is spring, mid-day as the sun moves over one’s left shoulder when you’re facing west. It’s one of those buttery warm new-bud days that seem completely happy and serene.

Acrylic on canvas, 60″ x 36″
Fall, 2011
Located at: Private Collection