In Wendigo Pond, High Park, 2024, Steven Henderson, Canadian, b. 1975, presents an intimate view of a shaded woodland interior in Toronto’s High Park. Tree trunks rise like vertical sentinels around a quiet pond, while reflections and dappled light play across the water’s surface. The composition is closely framed, drawing the viewer into the forest rather than across it, with bright touches of fresh green undergrowth punctuating the darker passages of the shaded landscape.

The pond sits at the centre of the scene, its surface broken by painterly reflections of trunks and foliage in muted blues, greys, and olive greens. Henderson’s brushwork remains visible and expressive, suggesting water, leaves, and sunlight filtering through the canopy rather than describing them literally. The vertical rhythm of the trees contrasts with the horizontal stillness of the pond, creating a quiet tension and a sense of contemplation.

High Park remains one of Toronto’s most important public landscapes, a refuge for residents who continue to picnic, skate, and explore its wooded paths. Henderson’s painting captures this enduring character, showing a secluded, almost hushed interior removed from the city beyond, while preserving the park’s natural charm. This oil painting measures 12 x 12 inches, is presented in a walnut and cherry frame, and is signed bottom right.