Yukon Wilderness Paintings — Journeys into Canada’s Last Great Frontier

For more than twenty-five years, the Yukon has felt like a second home to me. I keep returning to the Land of the Midnight Sun to paint its wide-open tundra, rugged mountain ranges, and luminous northern light—each journey revealing something new and deeply inspiring.

My connection to the Yukon began with a simple bicycle painting trip out of Whitehorse in 1995, with a detour into Atlin, British Columbia. What started as an adventure quickly grew into a lifelong relationship with the North. The scale of the land, the clarity of the air, and the quiet, honest character of the wilderness made a lasting impression on both my life and my work.

I am especially drawn to the brief northern autumn, when the landscape ignites with rich golds, fiery oranges, and deep reds. During these weeks, the tundra becomes a glowing mosaic of colour and texture, offering endless inspiration. Many of the paintings you see here were created along the historic Canol Road in eastern Yukon—a remote and storied landscape that continues to shape my vision year after year.

Base Camp 36” x 72” oil on canvas

Plein Air Studies of the Yukon and NWT.

For more than twenty-five years, I have returned again and again to the Yukon to paint en plein air, drawn by the quiet power and vastness of this extraordinary northern landscape. From the towering peaks of the Kluane Range to the endless stretches of Arctic tundra, the Yukon has a way of nourishing the spirit and igniting the imagination.

Painting in the North is a very intense experience. The land feels ancient, untouched, and honest. Distances are immense, the air is crisp, and the silence carries a presence of its own. Every journey into this wilderness becomes both a physical adventure and a creative awakening, where each painting grows out of direct contact with the land.

One of the most magical times to paint in the Yukon is early autumn. In the far north, the season arrives as early as mid-August. The tundra begins to glow with rich oranges and deep reds, while clusters of poplar trees turn brilliant yellow. The landscape transforms into a vibrant, textured tapestry—subtle, luminous, and endlessly inspiring. These fleeting weeks offer some of the most compelling compositions an artist can encounter.

The Yukon is more than a place to paint. It is a land that captures the heart and leaves a deep, soulful longing to return. Each visit strengthens my connection to its wild beauty, and each painting becomes a reflection of that enduring relationship.