MOUNTAIN MAGIC

MOUNTAIN MAGIC

Preview Spotlight: “Mountain Magic” & More

We’re thrilled to share a special preview of Mountain Magic, Victoria’s latest painting—a vivid celebration of alpine wonder and expressive brushwork. This piece is available for early purchase until December 1. If it speaks to your heart, please reach out to Victoria directly at Vision2020vz@outlook.com.

The second photo in this post features five beautiful works, including Mountain Magic, each one available for purchase. From golden light to riverside reflections, these pieces are part of Victoria’s evolving landscape series—each one a story waiting to be welcomed into your space.

As we move into December, we want to share a personal note: Samantha will be undergoing a series of surgeries this month. As a result, our blog posts and the monthly Paint Drops newsletter may be delayed. We deeply appreciate your patience and understanding, and we’ll do our best to keep the rhythm going.

Thank you for being part of this creative journey. Your support means the world.

Five Special Paintings

Fred Varley: The Painter Who Saw Spirit in Every Stroke

If you’ve ever stood before a painting and felt like it was whispering something deeper—something soulful, something stirring—you’ve already met the spirit of Fred Varley. And for those of us lucky enough to know Samantha Zyluk, it’s a thrill to say that this visionary artist is part of her family tree. Artistic roots run deep!

Fred Varley (1881–1969) was one of the founding members of the Group of Seven, a collective of Canadian painters who redefined how we see our landscapes. But Varley wasn’t just about trees and mountains—he was the group’s emotional compass, the one who painted not just what he saw, but what he felt. His portraits and war-time pieces carry a haunting honesty, while his landscapes shimmer with spiritual energy.

Born in Sheffield, England, Varley studied art in Antwerp before moving to Canada in 1912. He arrived with a suitcase full of talent and a heart full of questions. Through his friendship with Arthur Lismer, he found work as a commercial illustrator in Toronto and soon connected with fellow artists like Tom Thomson and Frank Carmichael. The rest, as they say, is brushstroke history.

During World War I, Varley served as an official war artist. His paintings from this time—like For What?—don’t shy away from the horrors of battle. They’re raw, reflective, and deeply human. He once said, “We’d be healthier to forget [the war], and that we never can.” That kind of emotional honesty is what makes his work unforgettable.

But Varley’s heart belonged to nature and the human spirit. In 1926, he moved to Vancouver to teach at the School of Decorative and Applied Arts, where his landscapes took on a new vibrancy. Influenced by Asian philosophies and colour symbolism, his paintings from this period glow with a kind of mystical warmth.

Samantha often says that creativity is a conversation across generations. Looking at Varley’s work, you can see echoes of that same poetic sensibility she brings to her own projects—whether it’s a newsletter, a rubric, or a photo caption. There’s a shared reverence for beauty, a belief that art can awaken something vital in us.

So next time you see one of Varley’s paintings—perhaps Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay or one of his tender portraits—pause for a moment. You’re not just looking at a canvas. You’re stepping into a legacy that continues through Samantha’s own creative journey.