Breath of the Earth36" x 48"

$4,500.00 CAD

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About the Artwork

Breath of the Earth is a 36" × 48" oil painting on canvas by Richard Cole (b. 1968), presenting a wide Prairie landscape in which a canola field in full bloom stretches beneath a clear open sky, with a low treeline visible across the far distance and a dark track cutting diagonally through the foreground field.

Where Cole's other Prairie works set the canola field against heavy storm cover, Breath of the Earth presents the same subject under an unobstructed sky. The upper register is deep cobalt blue, rendered with smooth, even coverage that lightens as it descends toward the horizon. At the horizon line, a narrow band of pale pink-rose separates the sky from the land. Just above the canola, a low dark treeline runs across the composition from left to right, its irregular silhouette broken at intervals and set against the pale lower sky.

The canola field occupies the lower half of the canvas. In the mid-ground it reads as a broad, saturated band of deep yellow-gold, smooth and even across the full width of the painting. A dark diagonal track cuts through the field from the lower-left quadrant toward centre-right, its edges softened by the surrounding crop. In the foreground, individual blossoms are built up with short, chunky impasto strokes in bright yellow and yellow-green against a very dark green-black ground, the paint surface densely worked with each stroke distinct at close range.

Richard Cole studied oil painting at the Alberta College of Art and Design, graduating in 1991. Born in Edmonton, he has developed a sustained body of Prairie landscape work alongside his better-known Northwest Coast subjects. His paintings are held in corporate and private collections worldwide. Breath of the Earth stands apart within this Prairie series for its clear-sky palette and the spatial depth introduced by the receding track and distant treeline.

Dimensions and Details

Title: Breath of the Earth
Artist: Richard Cole (b. 1968)
Size: 36" × 48" (91.4 × 121.9 cm)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Condition: Excellent
Display: Gallery-wrapped canvas with finished dark edges, ready to hang unframed

Acquisition Enquiries

Breath of the Earth is offered through West End Gallery. At 36" × 48", the work carries substantial wall presence while remaining suited to a wide range of residential and commercial settings. The clear-sky palette and spatial recession of the diagonal track distinguish this work from Cole's storm-based Prairie paintings and make it a strong counterpoint within a collection of his work. Collectors interested in this work are invited to contact the gallery directly to enquire about availability, arrange a private viewing, or discuss acquisition terms. Shipping is quoted by location; local delivery within Edmonton is complimentary. Layaway options are available upon request.

Citations

Canada House Gallery, Richard Cole — Artist Biography, canadahouse.com, accessed 2026.
Cole Studio, The Artist, colestudio.net, accessed 2026.

Accessibility Description

The painting is horizontal in orientation, wider than it is tall. The composition is divided by a horizon line positioned in the middle of the canvas. Above the horizon, a clear sky occupies the upper half of the picture plane. The sky is deep cobalt blue at the top edge, graduating smoothly to pale blue and then to a narrow band of soft pink-rose directly above the horizon. Just above the canola field and below the pink-rose band, a low dark treeline runs across the full width of the composition, its silhouette irregular and broken at intervals. Below the horizon, a broad band of deep yellow-gold extends across the canvas. The mid-ground field is smooth and even in handling. A dark diagonal track runs through the field from the lower-left area toward the centre-right, its edges softened by surrounding crop. In the foreground, individual blossoms in bright yellow and yellow-green are built up with short, dense impasto strokes against a very dark green-black ground. The canvas edges are dark and finished, and the work is displayed without a frame.

Full Provenance

Provenance information is not currently recorded. Please enquire for updates.

Disclaimer

This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.

Breath of the Earth | 36" x 48"

About the Artwork

Breath of the Earth is a 36" × 48" oil painting on canvas by Richard Cole (b. 1968), presenting a wide Prairie landscape in which a canola field in full bloom stretches beneath a clear open sky, with a low treeline visible across the far distance and a dark track cutting diagonally through the foreground field.

Where Cole's other Prairie works set the canola field against heavy storm cover, Breath of the Earth presents the same subject under an unobstructed sky. The upper register is deep cobalt blue, rendered with smooth, even coverage that lightens as it descends toward the horizon. At the horizon line, a narrow band of pale pink-rose separates the sky from the land. Just above the canola, a low dark treeline runs across the composition from left to right, its irregular silhouette broken at intervals and set against the pale lower sky.

The canola field occupies the lower half of the canvas. In the mid-ground it reads as a broad, saturated band of deep yellow-gold, smooth and even across the full width of the painting. A dark diagonal track cuts through the field from the lower-left quadrant toward centre-right, its edges softened by the surrounding crop. In the foreground, individual blossoms are built up with short, chunky impasto strokes in bright yellow and yellow-green against a very dark green-black ground, the paint surface densely worked with each stroke distinct at close range.

Richard Cole studied oil painting at the Alberta College of Art and Design, graduating in 1991. Born in Edmonton, he has developed a sustained body of Prairie landscape work alongside his better-known Northwest Coast subjects. His paintings are held in corporate and private collections worldwide. Breath of the Earth stands apart within this Prairie series for its clear-sky palette and the spatial depth introduced by the receding track and distant treeline.

Dimensions and Details

Title: Breath of the Earth
Artist: Richard Cole (b. 1968)
Size: 36" × 48" (91.4 × 121.9 cm)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Condition: Excellent
Display: Gallery-wrapped canvas with finished dark edges, ready to hang unframed

Acquisition Enquiries

Breath of the Earth is offered through West End Gallery. At 36" × 48", the work carries substantial wall presence while remaining suited to a wide range of residential and commercial settings. The clear-sky palette and spatial recession of the diagonal track distinguish this work from Cole's storm-based Prairie paintings and make it a strong counterpoint within a collection of his work. Collectors interested in this work are invited to contact the gallery directly to enquire about availability, arrange a private viewing, or discuss acquisition terms. Shipping is quoted by location; local delivery within Edmonton is complimentary. Layaway options are available upon request.

Citations

Canada House Gallery, Richard Cole — Artist Biography, canadahouse.com, accessed 2026.
Cole Studio, The Artist, colestudio.net, accessed 2026.

Accessibility Description

The painting is horizontal in orientation, wider than it is tall. The composition is divided by a horizon line positioned in the middle of the canvas. Above the horizon, a clear sky occupies the upper half of the picture plane. The sky is deep cobalt blue at the top edge, graduating smoothly to pale blue and then to a narrow band of soft pink-rose directly above the horizon. Just above the canola field and below the pink-rose band, a low dark treeline runs across the full width of the composition, its silhouette irregular and broken at intervals. Below the horizon, a broad band of deep yellow-gold extends across the canvas. The mid-ground field is smooth and even in handling. A dark diagonal track runs through the field from the lower-left area toward the centre-right, its edges softened by surrounding crop. In the foreground, individual blossoms in bright yellow and yellow-green are built up with short, dense impasto strokes against a very dark green-black ground. The canvas edges are dark and finished, and the work is displayed without a frame.

Full Provenance

Provenance information is not currently recorded. Please enquire for updates.

Disclaimer

This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.