This is All Medicine

18"x24" - Soft Pastels - Original
This piece was inspired by a moment of peace and clarity I experienced while cranberry picking at Fish Lake. I created it using my usual style of narrative surrealism, with vibrant colours to evoke emotion and reflect the healing energy of nature.

After moving to Whitehorse, I discovered that my maternal great-great-grandfather had been born here and also lived here. That realization made me feel as though I had come full circle—as if the Creator was gently guiding me back to this land to reconnect, reconcile, and give back to the First Nation people who once welcomed my ancestors.

While studying Therapeutic Recreation and working at a local Friendship Centre, I’ve felt constant confirmation that God has His hands on my journey. One day, as my Indigenous coworker was showing me her land and teaching me about her culture, she said something that struck me deeply: “This is all medicine.” In that moment, everything clicked. It reminded me of my late grandmother, who once told me while we tended our garden in Ottawa, “Everything we need is here.”

That connection between the two moments—years and cities that are 5,437 km apart—filled me with a sense of calm, belonging, and divine reassurance. I had been feeling lost and broken since her passing and through many moves across Canada, but that day, I felt whole again.

“This Is All Medicine” represents a peak in my own healing journey. It’s a reflection of how the land, community, and faith have come together to restore my spirit. Through this piece, I honour the wisdom of my grandmother, the generosity of the people who have welcomed me here, and the sacred energy of the northern land that continues to remind me that everything we need is already here—right where we are planted.