Since we moved to Gibsons in 1987, Joy and I have known Blane and Henny Hagedorn. Introduced to us almost the day we arrived, they have become close friends. We’ve participated in each other’s lives, and most significant to Joy and me, they donated their yacht, the Toucan, to act as a support vessel for our 1997 VisionQuest Journey down the west coast of Canada. We’ve enjoyed family events together and rejoiced at the birth of grandchildren into each of our families. I guess you could say we’re enjoying growing older together.
In the fall of 2006 Blane and Henny, their daughter Nicole and her children Wyatt and baby Tessa, led us on a bit of an excursion. Blane and Henny had purchased a piece of land on Thormanby Island. Thormanby is a 10 minute boat ride from Secret Cove Marina, a business owned and operated by the Hagedorn family. Together on that September day, we came ashore on Thormanby and walked the two or three kilometers up the hill to their new property. Resembling a park, their new acquisition wasn’t wilderness. Rather it had storage sheds, a small cabin and groomed property. We spent an idyllic afternoon in the sun wandering and exploring, visiting with neighbours and picking the few remaining apples and pears from the fruit trees on the property. What a beautiful escape.
As we savoured both the place and the day, I couldn’t help but feel the presence of an image. The fruit trees caught my attention. Framed by the thick surrounding forest and the glimpse of the ocean and Vancouver Island in the background, I knew this was my painting. The fruit trees show no fruit, we’d already picked them clean. What the painting does show is the peaceful tranquility of the Hagedorn property. The title for my piece came easily and naturally. This view, basically from the cabin onto the property, really is a THORMANBY RETREAT.