The Original "Portraits of Honour" is an oil painting that is on a flawless canvas stretching 40ft wide by 10ft high and features the 158 Canadian Soldiers, Sailors and Aircrew who have lost their lives in Afghanistan. Top center of the painting is a single white dove that is watching over our fallen. 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. The coos of a dove are very soothing and comforting. Some believe when you hear the soft sounds of a dove, it indicates that a soul is passing from earth, to heaven.
Click the image above to see a high-res version so you can see the level of detail in Dave's work (but to really appreciate it, you need to see it in person!)
On both sides of the painting, Dave has painted two, 9ft granite monuments. On these monuments, the names of our fallen are carefully painted on, to appear as though they have been carved in the granite. At the top of each monument, a marble looking 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 peddles. After 10 thousand hours of work to this labor of love, Dave still paints every day putting one poppy peddle on for all the Canadians that have fallen since the First World War.
The Battle Continues
Now Dave has opened up his heart again and has started creating more paintings honouring all of our fallen. He has now 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 organisation.
To date Canada has lost 114,485.
*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.
