The Original "Portraits of Honour" is an oil painting that is on a flawless canvas stretching 40ft wide by 9.5ft high and features all 158 Canadian Soldiers, Sailors, and Aircrew who lost their lives in Afghanistan. Top center of the painting is a single white dove watching over our fallen. The symbolic meaning of the dove is peace, love, and serenity. Some cultures believe it to be a representative of Christ, winging messages of love to our hearts Additionally, the coos of a dove are very soothing and comforting. So much so that some believe when you hear the soft sounds of a dove, it indicates that a soul is passing from earth to heaven.

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On either end of the painting, Dave placed two granite monuments. On these, the names of our fallen are carefully painted, to appear as though they have been carved in the stone. At the top of each, a angel is resting over our fallen names, holding a bouquet of poppies. The fallen on the painting are embraced in a bed of poppies and poppy petals. After ten thousand hours of work for this labor of love, Dave still painted every day putting one poppy petal on for all the Canadians that have fallen since the First World War coming to a total of 114, 485.

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The Battle Continues

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After a short break to work through the overwhelming feelings of completing the portrait, Dave opened up his heart again and started creating more paintings honouring all of our fallen. At his untimely death, Dave had completed one with two men that paid the ultimate sacrifice in Lebanon and currently working on a painting of R.C.M.P officers that passed in Haiti. His vision grows everyday. Dave has more paintings on the go as well, such as Golan Heights, Syria, Egypt and Cyprus to name a few. Along with 8 portraits of Hal Rogers, the founder of Kin Canada, that Dave is a proud life member and HRF recipient of the organization.

 

*The poppy when used as a symbol of remembrance in Canada, is a trade mark of Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion. Used with their kind permission.