Portraits, Landscapes, & Commissioned Masterpieces in Oil

There are some places that stay with you long after you’ve packed up your gear and headed home. For me, Dogtooth Portage—tucked off one of the Finger Lakes at Hawks Lake in Winnipeg, Ontario—is one of those rare spots. I first sketched the scene during my stay at Hawks Lake Lodge last year, after a day on the water that I won’t soon forget.

The original painting began as a rough study, brushed together quickly between the lodge’s quiet hum and the fading evening light. But the moment I returned to my studio, I knew I wasn’t finished with it. There was something about that shoreline, that stillness, that deserved more attention. Layer by layer, the memory came back to life on the canvas.

Part of what made that day unforgettable was the company. My guide and I had spent the afternoon fishing, and it turned into one of those rare, perfect days on the water. I broke my personal best by landing a Smallmouth Bass on a Sneaky Pete fly—a moment equal parts luck, skill, and pure joy. When I finally completed the painting, I sent it to him. It felt right to share the finished piece with someone who had been part of the story behind it.

Dogtooth Portage isn’t just a landscape. It’s a reminder of a place that gave me peace, a day that gave me a memory, and a painting that brought it all back home.