This painting was largely born of my imagination, with the exception of the large tree in the foreground, which I photographed during a walk at the Marguerite-D’Youville Wildlife Refuge on Saint-Bernard Island in Châteauguay.

Here, I wanted to create a sort of condensed version of my ideal forest: a soft, comforting carpet of moss, old trees weathered by time, and gentle rays of sunlight filtering through the canopy to bathe the vegetation in golden light.

One detail, however, changed during the creative process. Originally, the tree stump in the center of the piece wasn’t there. It was replaced by an imaginary little path leading toward the light. I hesitated for a long time before adding it, fearing it might block the way. Then I chose to see it differently: not as an obstacle, but as an element to discover along the way.

I like to imagine that everyone can find their own path toward the light in this forest. Perhaps you’d stop on the rock, go around the stump, lie down in the moss, or simply continue on your way. In fact, what would you do?