Alberta artist Steve R. Mitts’ original painting "The Poet" contemplates the vastness of the landscape and the humbling truth that no human creation can rival nature’s mastery. Fragmented into mismatched blocks, the image suggests we can only grasp nature in pieces. The visible wood grain and seams reveal the work as a constructed interpretation, set against the seamless reality of the natural world.

Mitts combines contemporary structure with 16th Century Renaissance influences. Using a meticulous layering of acrylic washes and gels, he achieves a textured, stained glass finish. This piece is created on 100-year-old reclaimed grain bin wood, making the material as much a part of the story as the painting itself. Measures 31 x 18 x 1 3/4 inches deep.