[2023] 18×24 – Acrylic on board

For many years, from when I was a young child, up until I was first married, my family would spend time each summer at a property near 100 Mile House in BC, on a lake called Crystal Lake. The property had two old log cabins, built sometime in the 1920’s, and another “cabin” built sometime in the 1980’s. The cabins were surrounded by birch and pine, and would frequently be visited by free range cattle and horses from a nearby ranch, as well as an assortment of woodland creatures.

The cabins were filled with treasures–old appliances that had been there for probably 70 years, eerie photographs of gold minors and that one painting of the little boy that no one felt very comfortable with. There were stacks of Good Housekeeping magazines from the 1980s with killer makeovers and decorating tips. Also, a Chippendale puzzle. Not the Chippendale furniture.

Every year we’d go through long walks through the birch and pine occasionally happening upon a lone horse, and sometimes stumbling on troves of buried treasure (AKA, garbage from the mid 50’s of exciting glass bottles).

I haven’t been there for about 20 years, but I like to imagine that the cabins are still just as endearingly creepy as they were, and that the woods are untouched and serene as my memory keeps them. If not, the painting serves as a reminder.