Western Canada - Katherine Muir Miller

Paintings of Western Canada

Majestic mountains, Glacier lakes, Rolling plains, and dense forestry.

Roadstop to the Mountains

Alberta/BC border

I am really enjoying the play of color these days. This was a very special memory as our family headed to Kimberley BC for my niece’s wedding. Some of us flew directly there, but my sisters and I drove from Calgary, with many photo stops along the way. I was happy and so appreciative of being in the moment of awe and the love of family around me.

It was autumn and the play of light on the mountainside was breathtaking, the blue-green glacier waters and the small tamaracks in the background was a picture in itself.

36h 36w canvas 40h 40w framed

Summer Hike

Eagle Valley Creek Hiking Trail
McBride, BC

I love Western Canada, there is something about the majestic mountains and visibility of snow and glaciers in the midst of a hot summer day. I follow @saragouletphotography as she shares her adventures and spectacular photos from her journeys of Western Canada. I was drawn to this particular photo and enjoyed putting in all elements of our Canadian seasons. The red, coral and pink mountains remind us of autumn, the snow-covered hike trail, the summer green trees atop the rock with patches of snow, the yellows of spring in the sky shed such light on the landscape, it makes me want to be there.

Enjoy

Photo credit: Sara Goulet photography

30h 48w canvas 34h 52w framed

Glorious Three Sisters

The Peaks, Canmore, Alberta – Oil on Canvas

Although I’ve painted the Three Sisters twice before, I never seem to tire of this view. All of my approaches have been different, bringing a change in mood, season, and hopefully triggers reactions of beauty to my viewers. The Three Sisters are iconic, a landmark many of us have come across in our travels of Western Canada. My sister is a photographer of nature and sent me this close up of the peaks for inspiration. Putting my trademark ‘purples’ on the peaks have it the drama it deserved. Hope you enjoy.

Photo credit: Anne-Marie McNally

24h 36w canvas 28h 40w framed

Gleaming Falls

Sunwapta Falls, BC – Oil on Canvas

I found this amazing landscape photographer from western Canada and I fell in love with her posts. We have connected, and this is the first I’ve done from her photos (Sara Goulet Photography). The outcome of this painting interestingly enough, was not what I had imagined when starting it. I painted it during the height of the pandemic, with so much emotion and uncertainty in the world. I feel this painting depicts the turmoil of the world in the water movement and unusual colours in the falls, the serenity and calmness of the tree lines keeps us grounded and balanced during such trying times.

Photo credit: Sara Goulet Photography

20h 40w canvas 24h 44w framed

Warmth Of Spring In The Air 2

12h x 12w canvas 16h x 16w framed

Warmth Of Spring In The Air

12h x 12w canvas 16h x 16w framed

Taking In The View

Glacier Creek, Whistler BC – Oil on Canvas

I painted a fair bit of Western Canada this past winter after making another visit there and seeing so many beautiful photos from my Western friends and family. This was a take on “Colours of Glacier Creek”, a larger painting I did full of colour. There is something about a single pine that stands out amongst the landscape. It doesn’t matter the season, they are so majestic, giving off such strength, uniqueness, and resilience. I wanted to capture that here, as this beauty stood out in the forefront of the mountains of Whistler. I love these tall narrow paintings. Hope you do as well.

60h 20w canvas 64h 24w framed

Alpine Cafe

Whistler, BC – Oil on Canvas

30h 48w Canvas 34h 52w framed

Three Sisters Peaks 1

Banff Alberta – Oil on Canvas

The Three Sisters, what a Canadian iconic landmark. This is my second time painting this mountain, and they were both done completely different. I was sitting in a restaurant when I saw this particular view. I felt like you could almost reach out and touch the mountain tops. There were maybe 45 minutes left of daylight so the colours were rich and magnificent. I wanted to lend a mood to this painting by using blues, turquoise, and yellows. You can feel the day is almost done.

24h 20w canvas 28h 24w framed

Jewel Of The Rockies 4

Lake Louise, Alberta – Oil on Canvas

36h 24w canvas 40h 28w framed

Jewel Of The Rockies 3

Lake Louise, Alberta – Oil on Canvas

36h 24w canvas 40h 28w framed

Jewel Of The Rockies Series 2

Lake Louise, Alberta – Oil on Canvas

36h 24w canvas 40h 28w framed

Jewel Of The Rockies Series 1

Lake Louise, Alberta – Oil on Canvas

72h 30w canvas 76h 34w framed

Colours of Glacier Creek

Whistler, BC – Oil on Canvas

Well this one is BIG. I actually had to get on a stool to reach the top of the canvas. Another friend on Facebook who I know her kids from the canoe tripping camp my kids and I are associated with, is always on adventures of a sort living out west. She posted this photo of her on Glacier Creek at Whistler skiing. She was pointing out that she was actually alone on the run in the midst of all this beauty. What are the chances of having a run to yourself at whistler on such a sunny day? So beautifully cropped was her photo, with incredible shadows on the snow and on the trees. I requested her permission to use her photo. I had to make it big as that’s what I was feeling. So challenging, but so much fun. I went through two full tubes of white alone in mixing my colours. I imagine this painting over a big fireplace in a cottage or chalet somewhere.

Photo Credit: C. Toze

60h 60w canvas 64h 64w framed