20″ X 16″ Acrylic on canvas
In 1910, the first members of a new community made their way north from Oklahoma to Saskatchewan to stake out homesteads in an area north of Maidstone. These African Americans came in response to advertisements from the Canadian government, inviting people to settle and occupy the western part of the area called Canada.
These homesteaders built themselves a place of worship, using locally harvested logs from the nearby North Saskatchewan River valley. A section of the churchyard became the cemetery for the community.
I grew up on a farm three miles west of the Church, on the farm that was started by my grandfather and great grandfather in 1905. The reference for these paintings are photos that I took in 2007 during one of my sojourns to Shiloh.
For more information, read this recent post by Leander Lane, one of the descendants of the original settlers.
Here is another article from the University of Calgary that provides some of the history of the community.
10″ X 12″ Acrylic on canvas
12″ X 16″ Acrylic on canvas
Village Rainbows 
April 21, 2017 at 11:51 pm
UPDATE April 21, 2017
Proceeds from the sale of these paintings will go towards the continued upkeep of the church and grounds by the Shiloh Church and Cemetery Restoration Society. Suggested contributions are indicated below each painting. If purchased as a group the suggested contribution is CDN$450. Contact me to arrange shipping.