The Stripes That Tell a Canadian Story: Painting the Hudson’s Bay Brand

For more than two decades, I have been painting the stories, symbols, and shared memories that shape our understanding of Canada. Throughout my practice, I have returned again and again to the familiar icons woven into our everyday lives: hockey masks, Mackintosh’s Toffee, Tim Hortons cups, Hawkins Cheezies, canoes, plaid, wildlife, and the roadside landmarks that quietly define our landscapes.

These are more than objects. They are visual markers of place, memory, and belonging. They are the things we recognize instantly, the symbols that carry stories long before we put words to them. Among all of these Canadian references, one symbol has appeared in my work more than any other: the unmistakable stripes of the Hudson’s Bay blanket.

Long before those stripes became a recognizable Canadian design motif, the Hudson’s Bay point blanket was part of the country’s history. Its bold green, red, yellow, and indigo bands became a visual signature known around the world, connected to exploration, trade, wilderness, home, and nostalgia. For many Canadians, those colours hold personal memories. They recall a blanket folded at the end of a bed, wrapped around shoulders at a cabin, warming a family gathering, or appearing as a toque, scarf, or jacket on a winter day. The stripes became part of our collective visual language.

Throughout my career, I have incorporated this enduring symbol into approximately twenty paintings. Sometimes the reference is quiet and unexpected: appearing on a piece of clothing, a toque, a hockey stick, or a small detail that rewards closer looking. In other works, the blanket itself becomes the central subject, transforming from a familiar object into a powerful symbol of Canadian identity. The Hudson’s Bay stripes have also influenced my own colour palette, finding their way into contemporary stories while remaining connected to a much older tradition.

My paintings are not advertisements for a brand. Instead, they explore the emotional power of cultural symbols and the memories they awaken. Like many of the Canadian icons that appear throughout my work, the Hudson’s Bay motif acts as a bridge between personal experience and collective history. It invites viewers to bring their own stories to the canvas. The recent closing of Hudson’s Bay Company as a department store marked the end of a significant chapter in Canadian retail history, while the continued life of the beloved stripes under new Canadian stewardship demonstrates something important: companies may evolve, but the symbols they create can become part of a nation’s cultural fabric.

Painting the Hudson’s Bay Brand

When I gathered these paintings together as a collection, I was struck by how often those famous stripes had appeared throughout my artistic journey. What began as a visual reference became a recurring conversation about memory, heritage, and the objects that help define who we are. Together, these Hudson’s Bay-inspired paintings represent nearly twenty years of exploring Canadian identity through colour, symbolism, and storytelling. They are another chapter in my ongoing journey of painting Canada, one familiar icon at a time.

Here is a collection of works inspired by one of Canada’s most recognizable designs: the Hudson’s Bay stripes.