If I’m allowed to pick my own heaven, this is it.

– David Milne, 1933

The painting here by the influential artist David Milne (Canadian, 1882-1953) is now on view in McMaster’s exhibition It’s My Vault. Its dry brush line, sparse expanses of orange, gray and purple hues and the limited view are characteristic of the important paintings produced by Milne in the 1930s. The exhibition’s guest curator, artist Chris Cran selected this work (one of 5 by Milne in McMaster’s collection) because Milne is one of his favourite artists and because the painting, with its landscape turning to abstraction, struck a chord with him.*

It was created while Milne lived at Six Mile Lake on the Severn River – a place he loved. With archival material from the Milne family, The Art Gallery of Ontario produced a short, beautiful video below, sharing Milne’s own words and images from that time.

* find out more about Chris Cran’s selections by visiting the exhibition, picking up a brochure, and attending Cran’s free, public talk at the McMaster Museum of Art on March 24 at 12:30 pm.