‘Blazes Along the Trail’: Exploring David Milne’s Imaginative Vision

Viewing the land on his walks from his cabin in the wilderness, observing reflections in water or flowers in bloom, as well as responding to the experience of urban and rural environments would stimulate an “aesthetic emotion” in Milne. It was this “feeling” of “aesthetic emotion” which the artist would undertake to capture in its intensity through his art. Milne’s intention was not to simply record a representational interpretation of the land or a detailed rendering of a specific object. The challenge for Milne was to formally express through his image-making a “feeling” for the elements of line, shape, colour, texture and compositional arrangements.

This exhibition ‘Blazes Along the Trail’: Exploring David Milne’s Imaginative Vision presents a selection of David Milne’s oil paintings, watercolours and another significant medium for his art – drypoint prints drawn from the collection of the Art Gallery Of Windsor. The artist stated that by exploring this medium he produced “blazes along the trail” which enabled him to “follow his own path” in creating unique aesthetic expressions.

Exhibition assistance provided by the Department of Canadian Heritages Museum Assistance Program Exhibition Circulation Fund.