Tag: Banff Christmas Market

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That’s a (Christmas) Wrap!

Another Banff Christmas Market is in the books.

It was a very good year. Even with a couple of slow days where I wondered if it was going to be disappointing, the busy days more than made up for it. After thirteen long days over four weeks, my sales came in just a hair under last year’s excellent total, so I’m pleased the effort paid off.

I had an annoying sore throat after the first weekend, and I’m still not sure if it was a mild cold or simply all the talking I’m not used to in my day-to-day. Either way, I made it through without picking up one of the nastier viruses making the rounds.

The weather was mostly decent, although the final weekend was all over the map. We had a short cold snap earlier in the week and I had to plug in my block heater a couple of nights. Then Saturday night, with a Chinook wind in full force, it was +7C as I drove home to Canmore. By Sunday everything was a wet, sloppy mess, and the roads in town were still treacherous.

I talked to more people than I could possibly count over the past month. Long-time supporters who have followed my work for years stopped by to say hi or add to their collections. People I’ve never met were delighted to tell me they own one of my pieces from a vacation somewhere, and they were surprised to meet the artist who created it. I even met folks who’ve bought my art through Diamond Art Club, one of my licensing clients.

I also met locals who know my editorial cartoons and have seen my animal art, but had no idea the same person makes both. That’s not uncommon. People often recognize one or the other.

Mostly though, I met people who had never seen my work before and told me how unique it felt compared to everything else they were seeing. They asked great questions, and we ended up talking about what it’s like to be an artist right now, including how AI is affecting the art world. That part was prompted by the little signs I added to my booth this year and the video display showing my process.

And on that note, Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is slop: digital content of low quality that is produced (usually in quantity) by means of artificial intelligence.

As expected, my 2026 calendars sold out, as did several best-selling prints (thankfully not until the last weekend). In hindsight, I ordered well this year, and there’s nothing I would have changed. It’s a good feeling to know I didn’t leave much on the table.
Highland Cow, Snow Queen, Otter, Sire, Kodiak Cub, Raven on White, and Winter Wolf were all popular again this year. Spa Day, one of my personal favourites, seemed to find its audience this year and was more popular than it has ever been. It ended up as my second best-seller after Highland Cow.
After the first weekend, I was disappointed that my latest Snowy Owl painting didn’t seem to resonate, but it was a slow burn. By the end of the market it was in the Top 10 out of the 40 paintings I had on offer, so I’ll gladly take that win.
The week after the Banff Christmas Market is still a busy one, but most of it is thankfully spent at home.

One thing about the market is the seasonal atmosphere. With the wood-burning fire pits outside, it feels like a proper Christmas village. People gather around with hot chocolate (or something stronger), eat from the food trucks, and soak it all in. A very convincing Santa makes the rounds and poses for photos, and all that’s missing is a few reindeer wandering around.

The consequence, though, is wood smoke. It gets into everything, and with the doors constantly opening and closing, I come home each day smelling like I’ve been camping. So every week I’m washing layers and winter coats, and after tear-down, my tablecloths, drapery, and booth covers all smell strongly of smoke. Six loads of laundry on Monday.

I enjoy the ambience of an airtight wood stove at the cabin I rent with friends, but outdoor fires don’t appeal to me anymore. I think it’s because I now associate the smell with forest fires. When this valley fills with smoke in the summer, it’s a reminder that evacuating is always a possibility.

Before I put all the booth hardware, displays, lights, and support kit away until April (Calgary Expo), I do a full inventory of what came home: stickers, magnets, coasters, prints, tote bags, metal and canvas prints. In a couple of months, when I start ordering for Expo, my future self will be grateful I did the work now.

Before the market, I had to remove a lot from my online store so I didn’t accidentally sell something online that had already sold at the market. This week I had to add it all back, though there’s a lot less than there was.
I’m an introvert, like a lot of artists I know. I’m most comfortable working alone in a quiet place, so after all the noise and interaction, plus an incredibly busy schedule for the past couple of months (when I was already running on fumes), it takes a toll.

Newspapers put their holiday issues to bed early this time of year, so I had to draw nine cartoons this week to accommodate that. The upside is that next week I should be able to take some time for me.

That means painting what I want to paint. And with nowhere to be, I’m planning to indulge in a couple of guilt-free afternoon naps.

I have a half-finished raven painting I’ve been missing, and I’d like to get back to it. I’ve also been itching to do another painting in the same spirit as my popular Peanuts image. I’m not trying to replicate its success, I just miss spending a few hours on a close-up of a grizzly bear face, which is still my favourite kind of face to paint.

After all the human interaction lately, all I want for Christmas is some quiet time at home without deadlines.

So yesterday, I spent some time in the grizzly folder of my photo archive and found the reference I needed to paint the image in my head. Even though I have photos from many years ago up until this year, the main reference I chose came from a bunch of photos my friend Serena at Discovery Wildlife Park generously shared with me the last time I was there this fall.

I’ve got more to say on this topic, but my biggest failure this year has been balancing business and creativity. When art pays the bills, it’s hard not to ask myself for each new painting, “Will this be popular? Will it sell? Should I paint something else?”

But I also know that if money becomes the prime metric for deciding what to paint, it will rob the life and personality from my work. So that’s what I’m up against in the coming year: how do I create art that I’m proud of and enjoy, while still thinking like a business owner?
Ending the year painting a grizzly bear face will hopefully help me take some first steps toward better perspective. None of us gets out of this alive, and I’m desperate to use my time better.

Though I’m emotionally and physically tired and selfishly clinging to some alone time right now, I don’t want to sound ungrateful for the past couple of months of craziness. I truly enjoyed meeting so many of you at the Banff Christmas Market, especially those of you who come every year. You say such nice things about my artwork, and while compliments are always a little uncomfortable, they do help quiet the demons that tell every artist their work is never good enough.

So thank you to all of you who found me at the booth, took time for a chat, and took a little bit of my work home with you. I hope you put it somewhere it can make you smile, and that you notice it most on the days you really need it. And if you bought it to give to somebody else, thanks for helping my work travel a little further.

However you spend the next couple of weeks, whether with family, friends, or taking a little time for yourself, I hope you enjoy it.

Merry Christmas, and I’ll see you in the new year.

Cheers,
Patrick

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Believing Those Who Believe in Me

Even though it’s exactly what I asked for, it’s still one of the hardest things to accept.

Most of the year, it’s just me in my office. Drawing cartoons. Painting wildlife. Wrestling with video software. Digging around for licensing leads. Sending cold emails to marketing departments already drowning in submissions. I know damn well that the first round (second, third, fourth) won’t get a response.

I try to game the subject lines, choose the right images, write the right words. Not too short, not too long, not identical to the last ten pitches they skimmed before clicking delete.

Rejection is part of the job. Silence is even more common. You don’t know if anyone even opened the email, so you drop a reminder in the calendar and move on until the alert pops up months later telling you to try again.

I write posts like this one, see the subscriber numbers, take some comfort that I have a very good open rate. Comments are rare, but emails trickle in after each edition of A Wilder View. It’s a slow burn, just enough air and heat to keep the embers alive.
Then I show up at the Banff Christmas Market or Calgary Expo, and suddenly the whole thing flips. Real people in real time. Compliments, conversations, connection, an inferno compared to the barely glowing coals of my daily grind. I never feel ready for it, and part of me is looking for a fire extinguisher in case I can’t keep up.

I see familiar faces. People who come back year after year, or just stop by to say hello. The other day, two people I recognized walked up while I was inviting someone to subscribe to A Wilder View. One of them jumped in to say she should sign up because she enjoys the emails as much as the artwork. That meant a lot. And they were carrying the Otter tote bag they bought at Expo earlier this year.

It was great to see you again, Sydney and Craig. Thanks for sticking with me.

I never quite get used to seeing the same people returning for more. Gregg, who first followed my work from Regina and now lives in Canmore, still buying calendars for himself and his adult kids. La and Brandon, who sent me a photo earlier this year of my Otter tote bag sitting with them on the banks of the Seine. Sally in Australia, who often places her sizeable order in the fall, and I cross my fingers it arrives for Christmas (got there in plenty of time this year). And new people like Marianne, who practically emptied one of my tabletop print bins last Friday so she could take prints, coasters and tote bags back to Louisiana.

In the first draft of this post, I listed dozens of names, people I now know because they’ve allowed me to make a living doing this. But it read like a conference roster, and the more I wrote, the more I worried about who I’d forgotten.

As my email list grows and more of you discover my art each year, I can’t remember everyone’s name, and it honestly bothers me if I have to ask you again when I see you. I worry it’ll look like I don’t appreciate the support, even though several of you waved that off over the past couple of weeks, saying nobody expects me to remember every name.

But I’d sure like to.

So, I hope I’ve made it clear, in person and here, how much I appreciate that so many of you spend your hard-earned money on my funny-looking animals. I’m glad they make you happy, or at least give you a smile when things feel heavy.

Because you do that for me.

Cheers,
Patrick

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First Weekend in Banff: Slow Start, Strong Finish


The first weekend of the Banff Christmas Market has come and gone.

I still have to produce my regular editorial cartoons each week. Normally, I draw Monday’s cartoons on Sunday, but that’s not happening for the next month. It means I need them done by Thursday. After three or four days of being ON for ten to twelve hours at the market, I’m not sitting down to draw for a few more hours when I get home at 6 on Sunday night.

I’m trying to get ahead and have a few extra ready so I’m not scrambling. I’m still up at 5 every market day, but that time is usually spent updating sales spreadsheets, answering emails, and doing the support work before heading back to Banff for the next weekend.

So Monday through Thursday is my usual drawing, shipping, and admin work, only in a tighter window.

The weekend  started slow. Thursday and Friday were unnerving. Saturday and Sunday rallied and I ended up with very good sales. Not my best weekend, but nowhere near my worst. In a year when I was already nervous about the economy, better than average feels like a win.

Who Are the People and Pups in My Neighbourhood?

My neighbours on both sides have become friends over the years. Both are couples, we’re all similar age and sarcastic humour. Somehow the organizers keep putting us together, and we’re not about to correct them. We give each other the gears all weekend and the laughs help keep the long days lighter.

A Canmore vendor I’ve known for twenty five years was across from us. The highlight of her weekend was her family adopting a Bernese Mountain dog. Terrible timing for her, but they were on a long wait-list. Her husband and daughter drove to BC to pick him up and brought Max by for a short visit. I’m not a let the dog lick your face guy, but Max got one in. I didn’t hate it. I hope he comes by again.
My People

I never take it for granted that people buy and collect my work. It still floors me that these critters connect with people the way they do. Many of you reading this have been with me for years and I’m grateful for it. Because of your support, I get to do this for a living.

And sure, I complain about the work sometimes, especially when I’ve been stuck in my head for too long. But when I see you in person, it reminds me to be thankful.

Two of my most loyal long time collectors, Tracy and Sheldon, showed up unannounced from Calgary. Seeing them at my booth was a great surprise. They always come to Expo, but this was their first Banff Christmas Market. They came to get their Christmas Bear tote bag and calendar in person, and show their support. They will be away during Expo this spring and it just won’t be the same without them. Thankfully they stopped by during a quiet moment so we had time to visit before they went and checked out the other vendors.

Another long time supporter came by to add to her collection. She found my work years ago and has come to see me a few times. I am great with faces but sometimes blank on names and it drives me nuts. I kept thinking it was a D name. Debbie? Nope. Sorry, Diane. As soon as she said it, I blurted out her last name. So it was in there, I just couldn’t find the file folder.

And then there were a lot of people I didn’t know but who had bought my work somewhere else. From my booth, the Calgary Zoo, the Calgary Expo, Stonewaters, Discovery Wildlife Park, or any of the stores that carry my stuff. Kids recognized stickers. Adults recognized prints. Plenty of people said things like, “Our friends have that otter,” or “We have that bear in our bathroom,” or “We get your calendar every year.”

Always nice to hear. I said, “Thank you” a lot this weekend.

More Dogs

One of my favourite parts of this market is that they allow dogs. You don’t bring an untrained dog to something like this, so most of them are well behaved. But with all the smells and activity, a lot of them show up hoping for a treat. The greeting is often, “Nice to see you, any cookies? No, alright, bye.”It is annoying when a dog makes eye contact with me while I have a booth full of customers and I have to choose between doing my job and abandoning my post for a furry face. Very unfair.

Prints and Products

I keep detailed sales records so I can order smart each year. Every weekend is its own thing, though, and there are always surprises. What sells one weekend might not move the next.
Calendars sold very well. I don’t expect to have any left by the end. My 11×14 prints always do well. There are the obvious bestsellers, but every animal finds a home with someone. I sold several tote bags, and the new Christmas Bear design has been well received.

The die-cut stickers are moving quickly. No surprise there. They make great stocking stuffers. I always get a little nervous telling people they hold up on water bottles, vehicles, snowboards and whatever else people throw at them. I want to be honest about the durability.

But people keep proving they work. I get photos of stickers on kayaks and vehicles that have survived multiple seasons. My booth neighbour has a year-old Sasquatch sticker on her rear window that still looks great. Serena at Discovery Wildlife Park has a water bottle that gets knocked around and chewed on by bears and the stickers still look good. Teeth marks, sure, but the colour holds.
The clincher was a little boy who showed me his Otter Bottle, please pardon that the photo is a little blurry. This bottle is covered in stickers. Most are faded or peeling, but mine is not. They bought it last year. According to his parents, it has survived five rounds of summer camp and countless regular dishwasher cycles. That settled it for me. Jukebox Print makes a solid product and I’ll keep ordering from them. And I will continue to confidently use the term, “dishwasher safe.”

Is This AI?

I heard this question more times this year than ever before. But the signs I put around the booth worked. I watched people point them out and say, “Look, not AI.”

Some told me they were glad I had the signs because they don’t want to support AI art. Others were annoyed that I even needed the signs because they felt it should be obvious.

The little video display I added this year was a great idea. Plenty of people watched it and asked more questions about the process. Instead of explaining digital painting, I could show it.

Here We Go Again

I spend most of my time alone at home and I like the solitude, but markets like this are important. They are good for sales, yes, but they are also good for my head.

Meeting people who enjoy the work is a reminder to stop being so hard on myself. When winter settles in and days get darker, it is easy to slip into a low mood and wonder why I am working seven days a week, most weeks of the year. At times it feels like it doesn’t matter.

But people say such kind things at these events and it can be uncomfortable. Years ago, I learned the best response is a sincere “Thank You.”

When I see people smile or laugh because of something I painted, it makes me want to paint more.

So even though the market is exhausting and I am already looking forward to a break, I know the experience is good for me. My art is not for everyone. Nobody’s is. But when it connects, that is something. When I am burnt out and questioning everything, sometimes I need to see that connection face to face.

My buddy Darrel knows me too well. He sent me a text on Monday asking, “Are you all recharged from a bunch of smiling faces?”

Not yet, but heading in the right direction.

I’m heading back to the Banff Christmas Market Friday morning. Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Patrick

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The Banff Christmas Marathon

On Thursday morning, I’ll set up my booth for the Banff Christmas Market and doors open at 5:00 pm for Twinkle Night. It’s going to be a marathon month, balancing drawing my syndicated and local editorial cartoons from Monday to Thursday, then selling my whimsical wildlife art at the Banff Train Station from Friday to Sunday.
There won’t be any time to paint until just before Christmas, but I’m glad I finished my latest commission on Saturday morning. At least I won’t have that deadline weighing on me. I enjoyed working on this piece, and best of all, the client was very happy. I’m looking forward to sharing it with all of you. But that won’t be until after I get the metal print and deliver it to the client.

Prep for this market is the same as any big show. Updating inventory in the point-of-sale system, signing and packaging prints, creating price signs for every metal and canvas print, plus all the other signage around the booth. I added a few small acrylic signs this year because I know I’ll be asked (or accused) if my work is AI. That’s just the landscape now.
But with a growing backlash against AI art, I’ve read that more shows and events are prohibiting anyone selling it. So, if the little signs create an opportunity for discussion and education, I’m happy to provide that.

I’m also introducing a digital picture frame that will loop a silent video of my painting process. Making that video took more time than expected, but I think it’s ready.

Rather than reinvent the booth, I just try to improve it a little with each show.

If you were at the Banff Christmas Market last year, you’ll find me in the same spot in the train station. It’s a big list of vendors in different tents and buildings. The organizers of this event are excellent and really know what they’re doing. Several of us asked for the same locations again, and they delivered. We’ve got a nice little neighbourhood at that end of the station. Plenty of camaraderie and goofing around, which makes the slow periods a lot easier. And customers feel that positive vibe when they walk in.

Once the booth is set up on Thursday, I won’t have to tear it down until December 15th. I won’t get any time off for the next month, but the commute is only twenty minutes so it’s just like going to a regular retail job, though with much longer hours. My boss is the worst.

A lot of people on the Christmas market circuit have to juggle accommodations and travel, which gets even trickier in winter. Many of my neighbours at the Banff Market come in from out of town every weekend and I feel for them. That’s a bigger expense, which creates more sales pressure.

I wanted to record a video showing all the products I’ll have on offer this year, but I just don’t have the time. The business of art always takes more time than the art itself, and editing video always takes more time than recording it. I’m already stretched thin.

Instead, I’ll try to shoot some video during the market and share that closer to Christmas when the dust settles.

As usual, I’ll have stickers, magnets, ceramic coasters, 11×14 prints and larger metal prints at the booth. I introduced tote bags at the Calgary Expo this spring, but this will be their first appearance at the Banff Christmas Market. I’m curious to see how the Smiling Tiger, Otter and new Christmas Bear designs do. I’ve already sold several of each this season, and I won’t be surprised if I’m sold out by the end of the year.
Last year, I underestimated demand for my calendars and had to reorder halfway through the market. Then sales slowed and I had to hustle to move the leftovers in January. This year, it looks like I might have ordered just about right. Calendar sales have been brisk for the past month and I’ve sold more to subscribers than ever before. Thanks to all of you for that. I still have plenty of stock to get me through the markets. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I sell out before the final weekend. Better that than leftovers again.

These markets are always a question mark. You can order based on previous years, but it’s still guesswork. A new painting might sell like crazy at the Calgary Expo, but barely move with the Christmas crowd. Or the reverse.

Then there are the other variables. The economy, the weather and visitor traffic can all boost or sink sales. You do what you can and hope for the best.
Tickets are now on sale on the Banff Christmas Market website, where you can book timed entry slots in advance. It’s a good system and once you’re in, you can stay as long as you like.

One of the perks of the location is that it’s right next to Banff’s free overflow parking lot. You don’t have to pay for parking like you do almost everywhere else in town. As for the scenery, it’s pretty spectacular.

They’ve built a great holiday atmosphere at the event with live music outside, a courtyard with food vendors, cozy fire pits, free professional pictures with Santa and a real Christmas village vibe.

Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Patrick

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Remember When This Was Fun?

Yeah, it’s been one of those weeks. But it came with a weird benefit.

One of the hardest parts of recording YouTube videos these past few months has been getting over perfectionism. I’ve watched too many “how-to” videos about lighting, audio, editing software, production values, storytelling, countless unimportant details that only served to keep me from hitting record and publish sooner than I finally did.

Sometimes it feels like YouTube is a cult, all serving the Great and Powerful Algorithm. Then again, that pretty much applies to all online life.

It gets exhausting.

But since I was already there, standing in the kitchen with a pile of prints I needed to sign and package, I threw my phone on a tripod, clipped on the wireless mic, and just talked. Regular kitchen lights, no script, no plan, only a little more organized than a rant.

You’ll see plenty of hard cuts because the original video was almost three times as long before I sliced and diced it with abandon. I came very close to deleting the whole thing, but ultimately decided it was worth sharing.

If you’re an artist thinking you might want to turn it into a business, and you can’t imagine doing anything else with your life, there will be days when you wonder if you’d have been better off not doing so.

Regardless, I didn’t have the energy to obsess over perfection this week. No music, no B-roll, no intro. Just whatever was left in the tank. Here’s the video.

 

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Happy Color & Christmas Bear Totes

I’m a little overwhelmed this week, plenty to do and not enough time. It’ll pass, but that’s why this is just a short update on a couple of things.

Happy Color 2.0
Thanks to those who emailed me to say the Charmers’ Club 2 collection went live on the Happy Color app this week. I knew it was coming sometime this fall but, frankly, I’d forgotten all about it.

With art licensing, there’s often a long gap between signing contracts, uploading images, and when the products actually launch. Regular readers might remember an interview I did with X-Flow Games, the company behind the app, back in July. You can read that post here for more on why I enjoy working with them.

If you haven’t tried the app, it’s a free download for both Apple and Android. When I tried it the first time they licensed my work, it turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected.

I also noticed a bunch of new subscribers to A Wilder View over the past couple of days, and I suspect that has something to do with the new launch. If you discovered my work through the Happy Color app…welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride.

Christmas Bear Tote Bags
I was pleased and relieved today to receive the first Christmas Bear tote bags. This was another big investment in a new product for the Banff Christmas Market, but they turned out great.

Best of all, it’s the last product order I’ll need before the month-long market begins on November 20th. With just over a month to sign and package prints, enter inventory into my sales app, update spreadsheets, and finish everything else I’ve got on deck, I’m grateful not to be waiting on any more deliveries.
Shipping
By the end of next week, I expect to have the 2026 calendars, new tote bags, and prints added to the store. Once that’s done, I’ll reactivate it and let you know when I’m taking orders again. I’m holding off one more week to see if Canada Post keeps operating before I reopen. With no deal in place, they could strike again at a moment’s notice. Fool me…what is this, three times? Four?

Cheers,
Patrick

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Stocked for Christmas, Stuck with Canada Post

It’s with mixed feelings that I can say most of my stock for the Banff Christmas Market has arrived.

My restock of metal prints came in last week, along with a large order from Art Ink Print in Victoria, who handle my 11×14 poster prints. That shipment included both my own stock for the four Banff Market long weekends and a big order for the Calgary Zoo, which I delivered on Wednesday.
Each of my poster prints is hand-signed, and the Zoo got the very first print of my latest Snowy Owl painting. It’s always a nice feeling to see a new piece in print for the first time.

Another large order from Pacific Music & Art arrived yesterday. They’ve licensed my work for several years on a wide range of products. People often tell me they’ve seen my art in stores across Alberta, BC, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest. Those are all Pacific products.
They also produce the calendar many of you look forward to each year. That means I get to sell my own artist edition while the same calendar reaches stores I could never reach myself. Some of you on Vancouver Island have even told me you already picked up your 2026 calendar before I got mine.
If you’ve ever bought a magnet or coaster from me at the Calgary Expo or the Banff Christmas Market, those are Pacific items, too. I already had several designs in stock, but yesterday’s delivery topped up my inventory for the market.
So yes, you have to spend money to make money, but placing large orders like these is a serious expense, often weeks or months ahead of actually selling anything. Anyone who’s ever kept retail inventory knows the feeling. It’s something I never get used to and it puts me on edge.

That’s the “mixed” part.

While I’m happy with this year’s calendar order and confident in my usual sales projections, the Canada Post labour dispute has thrown a wrench in everything. Normally, early calendar sales through my online store help offset these upfront costs.

Announced late last night, as of Saturday, Oct. 11, Canada Post is moving from a nationwide strike to rotating strikes, which should get some mail moving again, just not reliably. So for now, my online store will stay closed until I see what happens. But until Canada Post proves this isn’t just a temporary pause before another shutdown, I can’t risk taking online orders that might end up stuck in limbo. I’ll plan to reopen by late October. My last outstanding order, custom tote bags featuring my Christmas Bear painting, has shipped from Montreal by courier and is scheduled to arrive next week. Thankfully, that one’s unaffected and on track.

Like every other small business caught up in this dispute, I just have to wait and hope for a resolution soon… or find a way to make this year’s Christmas sales work despite it all.

So yeah, I’ve been angry and stressed. I won’t pretend otherwise. Even with rotating strikes, which should get some mail moving again, the uncertainty means gritting my teeth, clenching my jaw, and trying to accept what I can’t change while working on what I can.

On a brighter note, I’m currently working on a dog commission that’s been a welcome distraction. I’d love to focus on that full-time for a week, but for now, the editorial cartooning is paying the bills until the wildlife paintings can contribute again. And thankfully, with each Canada Post strike and job action having taught hard lessons, all of my newspapers now pay by direct deposit.
I’m also creating a project for Wacom, featuring their new Movink Pad 11, hands down the best mobile drawing experience I’ve had. Full stop. I’ll share more about it in an upcoming video, which includes outdoor sketching footage. Above is a preview: a small practice piece I’m working on to get comfortable with the included software.

Thankfully, I’ve got a short cabin trip coming up with my buddy Darrel, something we booked a while ago. It’s a pre-market reset before the long haul through November and December. I’m looking forward to a few days of quiet: playing cards, Scrabble and guitar, napping on the deck, and wandering the pastures with my camera in search of wildlife. Fall is my favourite time of year there.
Here in Canmore, we got our first snowfall last Saturday. Most of it melted in the valley by Sunday afternoon, but the mountains stayed white for a few days longer. If this isn’t the best view from any Safeway in Canada, it’s at least in the top three. Helps (a little) to soften the shock of the ridiculous grocery prices around here.
But I was biking my errands in shorts again yesterday and snapped this pic of Policeman’s Creek.

Back to work.

Cheers,
Patrick

If you missed the video I created about the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre and the creation of my most recent Snowy Owl, here it is again.


 

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2026 Calendars, Christmas Totes, and What I’m Painting Now

Although the first weekend of the Banff Christmas Market is still over two months away, my planning and purchasing are well underway.

Calendars

I’ve placed my magnet and coaster restock order with Pacific Music & Art, along with the newly finished 2026 calendar that many of you tell me you look forward to each year.

Last year, I miscalculated. I ordered what I thought I needed, but after the usual online sales and the first couple of weekends at the Banff Christmas Market, most were gone. I managed a quick restock for the final two weekends, but sales slowed down, and by January I still had about 20 left. I sold a few more, gave some as bonuses with larger print orders, and still have five or six sitting here now.

It’s always a guessing game. I look at the previous year’s numbers, order what I think will be enough, and cross my fingers.

This year, I’m placing one order only. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

The cover features one of my favourite new paintings, The Grizzlies. Inside you’ll find a mix of new pieces and some perennial bestsellers. I’ll let you know when they’re available.

Tote Bags

I already have Smiling Tiger and Otter tote bags in stock, available now in the store. But I also wanted something seasonal for the Banff Christmas Market, so I created a Christmas Bear design and ordered it last week. It should arrive by the end of October.

I had thought about doing a subscriber pre-order, but to be blunt, I don’t trust that Canada Post won’t strike again for the holidays. If that happened, I’d be stuck with prepaid orders I couldn’t ship and a pile of unhappy customers. Rather than risk it, I bit the bullet, paid for the order myself, and will sell them in person and online as long as stock lasts.

I’m happy with how the design turned out, and I think it’ll go over well. Because of the lead time, there’s no chance for a second run before Christmas. Once they’re gone, that’s it until next year.

Painting

I’m working on a new commission right now: a senior dog with a lot of character. She’s full of markings and features begging for exaggeration. I’m still in the sketch phase but already looking forward to the painting itself.

My Snowy Owl painting is also coming along nicely. I spent several hours Saturday morning painting feather details, and I hope to finish it this week. It’s a perfect seasonal fit, and I plan to have poster and metal prints ready for the Banff Christmas Market. I’m also recording the process, so I’ll have a video to share once it’s complete.

In the meantime, if you missed it, here’s my recent Three Cats Commission video.

While I won’t be taking reservations for calendars or tote bags, A Wilder View subscribers will always get first notice and early access when they’re in the store.

A reminder: I still can’t ship to the United States. With the suspension of the de minimis exemption for Canadian goods, the paperwork and costs are just too much for a small business, both in time and money.

Cheers,
Patrick

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A Wilder View on Awards

I’ve been drawing and painting my whimsical wildlife art for 16 years. Licensed internationally on several products, I also sell prints and stickers wholesale to places like the Calgary Zoo and Discovery Wildlife Park, in my online store, and at live events like the Banff Christmas Market and the Calgary Expo.

Most people subscribe to A Wilder View to see new paintings and hear the stories behind that work. So, it often surprises some and occasionally annoys others when I write the odd post about politics or things going on in the news. What does that have to do with funny-looking animals? Does everybody have to share their political opinion these days?

It’s usually that many people don’t know that I’ve been a syndicated editorial cartoonist for over twenty years. But if it weren’t for the political cartoons, there wouldn’t have been any animal paintings.
In 1998, while managing a waterslide facility at a hotel in Banff, I drew my first cartoon for the Banff Crag & Canyon. Many editorial cartoonists get into the profession because they’re political junkies who can draw. I liked to draw, and I figured I could learn to follow the news and politics if I had to.

I was 27 at the time. I had never been to art school and didn’t know the difference between right-wing and left-wing politics. But hey, it was a small weekly paper, and $30/week gave me a little beer money.

In 2001, I was invited to join the Rocky Mountain Outlook; about the same time, Shonna and I moved to Canmore. It was an upstart weekly newspaper looking to compete with the Banff Crag & Canyon and the Canmore Leader.

Today, the Outlook is the newspaper of record for the entire Bow Valley; those other papers are gone. It is a point of pride that I have had a cartoon in every issue for 24 years. While most Outlook cartoons have a local theme, they sometimes run one of my syndicated cartoons if a local toon doesn’t work that week.
So, what’s a syndicated cartoon? I get that question a lot.

Each week, I draw five to seven more cartoons on regional, provincial, national or international issues and submit them to newspaper clients across Canada. I follow the news every day, come up with ideas and draw them. If a publication prints the cartoon, they pay me.

Many of my clients are weekly publications, and several are under monthly contracts. That means they only print my cartoons. They only need one cartoon each week, but because I also supply dailies, they have several cartoons to choose from.

While some daily newspapers still have editorial cartoonists on contract, many have a few available spots each week or only use syndicated. Several daily papers in Canada run my cartoons, but they also print submissions from other cartoonists, so it’s a daily competition.

Early in my career, I wanted a job with a daily newspaper. But as we learn in life, sometimes the best thing for you is not getting what you want. Had I got a daily newspaper gig, I would have been laid off in budget cuts years ago, a fate that has befallen many cartoonists in the struggling newspaper business.

Because syndication was always my business model, I never had to face losing my day job and scrambling to pivot. It also meant I had to draw every day, without fail, or I didn’t get paid. I learned early the discipline it takes to run your own business, that you work even when you don’t feel like it because you have to. It’s a lesson I try to share with anyone who asks for tips on making art for a living. As any self-employed person will tell you, you’ll never work harder than working for yourself.

The other benefit was that you can’t help but improve if you’re drawing daily, so my cartoons quickly got better. My early pitiful caricatures, where nobody could tell who I was drawing, became one of my best skills. I used to dread drawing real people, but now I enjoy that part of the work, even though those cartoons take longer.

Best of all, my years of learning to be a better cartoonist led to the work I enjoy most: my funny-looking animals. If I hadn’t been a cartoonist first and still somehow stumbled into painting wildlife, they wouldn’t have that ‘cartoony but real’ look that so many people enjoy.

I’ve been fortunate to receive some awards in my career, but not many. Artists only need one award to add ‘award-winning artist’ to their bio. They’re kind of like high school diplomas. Employers look for them on your resume, but how many ever ask to see one?

To think, one lie and I could have skipped those three years and started work early.
I’m most proud of the awards I received at Photoshop World Las Vegas in 2010 and 2014. The first year, I won the Illustration and Best in Show awards for some of my early animal paintings. That recognition was important to me because it was from an organization full of people I liked and respected. They were an encouraging group of talented artists and teachers, and they helped me become a better artist.

That award also opened doors at Wacom. They make the drawing tablets and displays on which I have created all my cartoons and paintings since the late 90s. I’ve worked with them several times on promotional projects over the years, and it’s been one of my favourite professional relationships.

In 2014, the last year I attended Photoshop World, I won the Best in Show award for my One in Every Family painting. The prize was the Canon 5D Mark III camera I still use today to take reference photos. Just like my car, it may not be new and pristine anymore, but it gets me where I need to go, and I will be truly upset the day I no longer have it.

That organization and event no longer exist, but it ended on a high note, and I look back on that time with fond memories. Many of those friends and acquaintances still follow my work in A Wilder View.

I have won several Alberta Weekly Newspaper Awards and Canadian Community Newspaper Awards for my local cartoons in The Rocky Mountain Outlook. The Outlook enters my work for those, and that recognition does more for the newspaper than for me. But I’ve been happy to be part of the team effort.

This brings me to the National Newspaper Awards. I think I tried to enter once in 2006 but found out I wasn’t eligible because I wasn’t attached to a daily newspaper. Sure, many dailies ran my work, but they most often sponsored their own cartoonists for the NNAs.

So, I didn’t try to enter again and figured I never would.
The Calgary Herald has been publishing my cartoons for twenty years. During that time, they’ve gone through several editorial page editors, and I’ve had a good relationship with most of them. But as is the case for all art, some liked my work more than others. So, some years, I might get published only once or twice a month.

A change in editor at any newspaper can be the end of a cartoon contract or the beginning of a new one. They all have their favourite cartoonists, and when an editor goes from one newspaper to the other, they’ve often brought me with them or replaced me with one of my competitors. It’s the nature of the business.

These days, I’ve got a great relationship with the Calgary Herald. The now Editor-in-Chief, Monica Zurowski, has been encouraging and supportive of my work and runs my cartoons around ten times a month.

So, while the Herald does not employ me, they run my cartoons more than any other daily newspaper in Canada. Last year, Ms. Zurowski asked if they could sponsor me for the National Newspaper Awards for editorial cartooning. It was a big surprise because the NNAs hadn’t been on my radar for almost twenty years.

Because the Herald had published so many of my cartoons in 2023, I could choose five cartoons I liked from a large enough selection, and they submitted them on my behalf. I didn’t expect much, so I wasn’t disappointed when I didn’t get a nomination.

In January of this year, The Herald again asked if I wanted to submit and said they would sponsor me. The editor chose five cartoons she liked from those they’d published and said I was free to make any changes. I suggested two substitutions, and they submitted another five-cartoon portfolio for the 2024 competition. Again, I went in with low expectations. You can see those five cartoons throughout this post.

This week, I received a call from Ms. Zurowski telling me I’m one of three finalists for the National Newspaper Awards. The other finalists are Michael de Adder for his work in the Halifax Chronicle Herald/Globe and Mail and Gabrielle Drolet for the Globe and Mail.
I’ve got some mixed feelings about this unexpected nomination. I’m pleased at the recognition, of course. It’s a bit of validation in a profession where I’ve often felt like an outsider.

As someone who started relatively late in the profession, when the newspaper industry was already struggling, I often felt too far behind and that my cartoons didn’t measure up. Even when I hosted the Canadian Editorial Cartoonists Convention in Banff in 2008, I felt significant imposter syndrome. And in the aftermath of that event, of which I have no fond memories, I resigned myself to the fact that I was not part of that club. And I moved on. I have had little contact with that community since.

Instead, I have focused on the work, improving my skills, and keeping my business adaptable and sustainable. As newspapers have sold, floundered and folded, I have positioned my other artwork to take up the slack. Financially, 2018 was my best year for editorial cartooning, but each year since then, as more newspapers close, that side of my business has shown a steady decline.

Fortunately, my whimsical wildlife work continues to grow, allowing me to continue to make a good living as an artist. But I’m still drawing a local cartoon for The Outlook and five or six syndicated cartoons each week. I’m just getting paid less now for that same cartoon output.

I wondered this week if the NNA award carries the weight it used to. There are fewer cartoonists on the playing field, and some of the giants of the profession are now gone, out of work, or drawing fewer cartoons. Would a National Newspaper Award mean more to me if more cartoonists were in the race? I think so.

Or perhaps, even twenty-seven years after that first editorial cartoon became a career of thousands more, I still feel that imposter syndrome, that I never was a part of that club. Our demons never leave us, do they?

They will announce the winners of the National Newspaper Awards in Montreal on Friday, April 25th. It’s an appropriate irony that I will be very busy that day, selling my whimsical wildlife art at my biggest annual event, The Calgary Expo. It will be my tenth year at the show, introducing people to the artwork I love most, that wouldn’t have happened without newspapers and political cartoons.

Whether I win a National Newspaper Award or not, I’ll be right where I belong.

Cheers,
Patrick

One more thing

Several metal prints arrived this week for The Calgary Expo next month, the first time I’ve seen some of my newest paintings on metal. Unpacking new prints never fails to put a smile on my face as my work always looks best in print.
When I finished this Ringleader painting, I wrote, “I have no idea how I feel about this painting and probably won’t for a while. I feel more relief that it’s finally over than satisfaction with the result.”

Just over a month later, now that the perfectionism for the piece has subsided, I can honestly say this is one of my favourite paintings. It’s so delightfully ridiculous and I laughed out loud after unpacking it. Because of the detail and so many faces, I printed it larger at 18”X24” on metal and I’m looking forward to hanging it in my booth.

As I’ll be busy every day for the next month, signing and packing new stock, organizing my booth hardware and equipment, drawing cartoons and trying to get a video recording finished, I wanted a break before all the chaos. So, my buddy Darrel and I spent four nights last weekend at the cabin we often rent in the foothills of Central Alberta.
There was still plenty of snow on the ground, on the colder side of March, and we didn’t see any wildlife. But we did what greying old men like us usually do; played cards and games, went for walks around the property, napped and played guitar. This was a selfie I took for a text reply to Shonna one afternoon when she asked how we were doing.
She complimented our usual black T-shirt matching ensembles. I told her I suspected she might be making fun of us, to which she replied, “Nailed it!”

As I finished writing this, an email alert came in that Prime Minister Mark Carney will call a snap federal election this weekend, and Canadians will go to the polls as early as April 28th. That’s the day after the Calgary Expo, which means April just got a whole lot busier.

I’m glad I took the break when I had the chance. 

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A Pouty Bear, Commissions, and Tote Bags

A post in three parts. Here we go.
First, here’s a painting I just finished yesterday called Pouty Bear. Even though most of the animals I paint are smiling and happy, I occasionally change them up, even if I know that a different expression may not appeal to people.

My Angry Bear painting is not popular, but it’s still one of my favourites because I enjoyed the work. The grumpy lion, on the other hand, is a pretty good seller, and that surprised me. The Ring-tailed Lemur creeps some people out but definitely has its fans.

Will this pouting brown bear connect with people? Time will tell.
Commissions and Comic-Con

I’ve enjoyed most of the pet portrait commissions I’ve done. Each has a unique story. I like the back-and-forth with clients and am usually happy with the results.

I only paint two or three commissions a year, sometimes only one, so they’re not a big part of my work. I’m OK with that because custom paintings are labour-intensive. Each begins with initial client emails, vetting photos, and discussing expectations. This leads to the actual painting, printing and delivery, which takes several weeks at the best of times. That’s in addition to my daily editorial cartoons and paintings and running my business.

A whimsical wildlife painting takes several hours, too, but each of those paintings has the potential to become a popular print or licensed image that sells for many years. Although every commission advertises my skills to future clients, the painting itself is one and done. It’s unique and specific to the person who hired me. Very few people want a painting of somebody else’s dog.

For my clients, a commission is not an impulse buy; it’s an investment in a very personal and meaningful custom painting. Most people hire me after following my work for a while and becoming familiar with my art style and process. They’ve had time to think about a commission, decide they want one, and only then do they contact me.
At the Calgary Expo a few years ago, Jeremy asked me about painting his dog, Luna. It was several months later before he reached out and got the ball rolling for a Christmas present for his wife, Jenny. Luna is one of my favourite paintings. I enjoyed the experience and look forward to seeing them each year at the Expo. Jeremy and Jenny even visited the Banff Christmas Market this year and brought their dogs along.
I am asked about commissions at shows all the time. For the past couple of years, I have displayed an 18” X24” metal print of Luna in my booth, with a little sign in the corner that reads, “YES, I DO paint commissions. Ask me for more info.”

Since advertising the service with Luna’s painting, I get a lot more inquiries. But here’s the thing: Jeremy was the exception to the rule. Almost nobody hires me for a commission after meeting me at shows. And I’ve realized that talking about commissions is usually the quickest way to get somebody to leave my booth.

Whether it’s at the Calgary Expo or the Banff Christmas Market, here’s how that usually goes. While they scan the metal and canvas prints hanging on the grid walls that define my booth, they see the Luna painting and the commission sign. They get excited that I might paint their dog, and the first question is usually, “How much would that cost?”

I’ve used various talking points to try to soften the sticker shock. I mention that a custom painting is an investment and personal to them. I explain how much work is involved, including printing and shipping/delivery. But as soon as I mention it’s $1900, the disappointed look on most people’s faces is unmistakable.

The price surprises those who are used to buying underpriced art on Etsy, which is often generated AI or photo manipulation. I don’t know how much they thought a custom original painting would cost, but it was much less than what I just quoted them. Because even though very few will flat out say, “I can’t afford that,” it’s evident in their reaction, and that makes them feel embarrassed, even though they shouldn’t. I don’t drop two thousand dollars on anything without planning and careful consideration, so I don’t expect anyone else to.

But now they’re uncomfortable. Their initial enthusiasm for my work, which attracted them to my booth in the first place, is tarnished, and they want to escape this negative feeling as soon as possible. They’ll often ask for a card and say they’ll be in touch, leave the booth, and I know I’m unlikely to ever hear from them.

They never got around to flipping through the 40-50 different prints in the bins, nor did they see the magnets, coasters, stickers, or postcards. I’ll never know how many sales I might have missed if the commission price hadn’t scared them away.

As much as I love showing off that Luna painting, I won’t bring it to shows anymore. I’ll still get commission inquiries at The Calgary Expo, but I won’t advertise them. I’m likely to say that I’m not taking any right now with my current workload.

Like a commission, The Calgary Expo and Banff Christmas Markets are big investments, which I hope will result in excellent sales and allow me to introduce my work to new people. And when they see my happy, smiling animals, along with the occasional pouty bear or grumpy lion, I want to invite them in and show them around my booth rather than give them a reason to leave.

If they sign up for A Wilder View, they can always look into a commission later and decide on their own time that they want to talk about it.

As with all self-employment, art-for-a-living is about adaptation. When something isn’t working, it’s time to make a change.

Tote Bags

Thank you for all the positive comments and emails about the new Otter and Smiling Tiger tote bags I’m ordering for the Calgary Expo. These vibrant printed bags are 100% polyester textured canvas, machine wash and dry, and will withstand everyday use while looking great. Each measures 16” X 13” X 3”.
Several people emailed me asking if I’ll have them in the online store. As with any new product, I must guess how many I might need for the show. Production and delivery timelines mean I won’t get these for more than a month, so I need to order them on Monday to have them in time for the end of April.

While I think they’ll do very well, they’re a significant investment, and I’m erring on the side of caution, which means I hadn’t planned on ordering extras for the online store until I see how they do. And if I added them to the store first and they do very well, I won’t be able to order more in time for Expo.
But I’d love to hear your thoughts.

At $29 plus $5 shipping (in Canada) for one bag, would you buy one if I stocked them on my site? Depending on the feedback, I may increase how many I order tomorrow to accommodate online sales. Please let me know in the comments.

Cheers,
Patrick