"Aoskway"

Naming a painting is no trivial matter, for once named, it exists in its own right — it no longer belongs to me. It is a little like it escaping.

For me, the title of a painting must evoke something special — a story, an emotion underlying the contemplation of the work. This evocation may be immediate for the viewer, or more discreet, even mysterious.

Often a title comes to me during the work itself, like something obvious, evoking something very personal that I share only with my client, like a secret. Other times it takes longer — and it may take longer than the painting itself. It becomes then a collective naming, which I find very pleasing.

'Aoskway' means moose in Huron, the celebrated Native American people of North America who have hunted it for centuries. It is a little like the spirit of the valiant Huron hunter that lives on in this Aoskway.

I wanted to convey an impression of power and grace. The elk advances with a quiet authority — massive, sovereign, as though bearing the weight of its territory. I painted this movement in the deep snow of a winter morning: the immense rack, the vapour of the breath, the snow exploding beneath the hooves. This animal asks no one's permission. It is at home. And you do not forget it.