Sometimes I wonder if I am one of those “eccentric artists” that have achieved notoriety in our modern world. Why? It’s because I enjoy the automobile trip from here to Campbell River; especially the section between here and Sayward. Many North Islanders are probably with me on this, but then North Islanders are a breed apart. Maybe we’re all eccentric!

I do know that when I meet someone new who has just driven up here and he or she comments on the “boring drive”, we are definitely going to have a lot of work to do on our new relationship! I’ve actually heard the comment, “It’s so boring. There’s nothing but trees!” Oh, well---

This painting is of one of my very favourite places on the Island Highway, the Eve River Valley. Coming up island the view as you come down the big hill into the valley is absolutely superb! With an array of hills cascading before you and culminating in a spectacular range of snowy mountains, its majesty is beyond picture postcard prettiness.

Always different during each season, it’s winter that presents a special challenge. It may be a most eye-catching winter wonderland to folks who do an occasional sojourn down- island, but for the commercial truckers and travelers it can be a genuine dilemma. This is the area that is the highest in altitude and when it’s raining in Port Hardy, it’s usually snowing up here! They don’t have the luxury of deciding on which day to go – today’s the day! We know some of the couriers and transport- truckers that have to bring their goods up island and return with goods from up here all in the same day! But, I don’t recall any one of them saying, “Gad, that was boring - nothing but trees!

As for me, when I come down that big hill at Eve River and spot the fresh snow on the mountains, I just know that there’s powder up on Mt. Cain!