In 1943, A.Y. Jackson accepted a summer teaching position at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and he returned to Banff nearly every summer for the next six years. Ever eager for new sketching sites, he often set out at the close of term, venturing across southern Alberta into the interior of British Columbia, staying with friends and students along the way. The Cariboo region of BC, steeped in gold rush history, proved especially captivating to Jackson with its rolling grasslands, old ranches, alkaline lakes and creekside groves.

In this charming canvas, Jackson deftly translates his signature style to the distinctive contours of the Cariboo. Sun-warmed slopes, gestural swathes of scrub and verdant poplars undulate across the expansive vista, crossed by split-rail fencelines and the serene, pastel waters of the creek, while the enduring motif of the solitary spar tree stands resolutely in the meadow. Towering cumulus clouds in the background capture the Interior’s wide-open skies. With his fluid brush-strokes and tonal palette, Jackson creates a lively testament to the rich and varied landscape of the Cariboo region.

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