The Woodland Series at Art in Bloom - inspired by an August afternoon

The relaxing pleasure of a girls weekend at a friend’s cottage in Canadian lake country was the catalyst that inspired what has become a growing bouquet of paintings. Read below to find several examples of The Woodlands, Incidental Greenspace, Lakeside and August Afternoon Series’, all inspired by the often overlooked roadside “weeds”.

Many of these works will be showing at the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s, Gallery Shop, April 16-May 31st, 2026, in conjunction with the biennial spring festival that is, Art in Bloom.

“Incidental Green Space”, 24” x 30”, left, “Into the Wilds: Baneberry”, 18” x 24”, right.

A roadside incidental green space overflowing with vegetation left to its own devices, continues to inspire new work at Mandart Studio. Reference photos captured the lush undergrowth contained in the shadows and the communities of competitive colour that stand firm, without shelter, to thrive under the glare of the heated midday sun.

“Paying attention is an art form.”

“Incidental Lakeside: Fireweed”, left, “Lyric”, right ,in view of Schnarr Lake.

The Prairies where I live are a constant source of inspiration in flux. I’m always surprised by the resilience of the perennial inhabitants that strive and thrive each growing season despite the hardships a Canadian winter can inflict.

Layer by layer, one colour in my hand at a time, lines and shapes infer the textures and contrasts of the world around me. The wild, uncultivated spaces I’ve more recently been drawn to have encouraged colours tempered with earthy additions to come into play.

“Make one intentional mark at a time. Allow each one to lead to the next.”

My work evolves in layers and blooms in multiples. Nothing exists in isolation. When it comes to the subject of landscape I don’t think any who focus their lens upon it will ever consider the subject exhausted. Instead the landscape in macro or micro form becomes a constant stimulus in the game of reflection, and refraction that strives to capture some essence of the natural world in a chosen medium.

Painting is also an intellectual exercise, a problem to be solved, as well as a creative act or experience. This body of work has inspired a greater use of contrast and a more liberal application of marks.

“Wildlings” Lakeside”, 24” x 36”, inspired by a gathered, roadside, bouquet.

“ I allow myself to be fully present in the process.”

The wind is a constant on the prairies. Big skies inflate to choreograph rhythmic dances amid crowds of blooms on the ground. While I never aim to describe literal landscapes with my work I am inspired to translate the energy of the environment with the action of the brushstroke.

A series can develop in many ways. A second and third pass at the same subject from the same reference point yields a different result each time, even when the size of the substrate remains the same.

“Each creative moment is a unique opportunity to combine presence, with process.”

The painting process requires my full attention. It mostly takes place within the quiet of my sunlit studio where a dynamic interior environment sometimes requires me to get out of my own way and leave well enough alone. The studio is a place where time is lost but passion is found.

The Sideshow series above, continues the wild and weedy theme of the incidental green spaces and the August Afternoons on a smaller scale and with the absence of horizon lines.

The change is scale can be a challenge so I’ll often prefer to exhaust my supply of one size or shape of canvas before upending the apple cart and taking on a new challenge.

“Woodlands: Amarillo:, left, 11” x 14”, detail, centre, Printemps Awakening: Poetry”, right, 18” x 24”.

A spring show wouldn’t be complete without representation of early blooming sping bulbs. Bulbs are a fleeting addition to a prairie garden so cultivating a low maintenance, indoor garden that needs no weeding, watering or attention beyond the compliments you’ll receive from friends and family when they visit my painting in your space, is a good idea.

I hope you’ll plan to visit Mandart in Bloom at The WAG shop April 16th- May 31st, 2026 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery