This original painting by Alberta artist Steve R. Mitts titled "The Young Suitor " rests within a thorned quatrefoil, an ancient form from European manuscripts, framed in weathered century-old fir. Though named, the suitor feels almost peripheral, absorbed into the scene: a small boat carries a young couple, a chaperone, and the soft murmur of a lute. Glances meet and slip away; music and movement entwine, turning the moment into feeling.

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. Subtle vignettes, paintings within a painting, breathe quietly together in gentle harmony. Measures 24 1/2 x 24 1/2 x 1 1/4 deep.