The Grand Hotels Archive
(These paintings reside in private collections. To view currently available paintings visit click here.)
"The Canadian Railway Hotels have long been a fascination for so many Canadians, myself included, as a part of our cultural, social and architectural history. Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, I was fascinated with the imposing and elegant "castle" on the river bank, The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, and imagined the many secret places one could lose themselves in, from the turrets to the hidden staircases and dizzying number of unique salons and ballrooms. I imagined the elegant evenings, the opulent gowns and the myriad characters that graced the historic halls. In 1994, as a professional artist, I launched my annual exhibition at the Fairmont Macdonald Hotel, which continues to this day. In 1995, my husband and I were married in there in the Empire Ballroom on a magical winter's evening. We continue to spend a lot of time backpacking, skiing and climbing in the Rocky mountains, which affords us the opportunity to visit the hotels, particularly the Banff Springs. They are an ongoing part of our personal history, and continue to inspire my love of historic architecture. The paintings in this portfolio span 30 years of exploring the visual and historic feast embodied in these grand hotels."
