Margaret Dorothy Shelton’s Banff Springs presents a close, architectural view of the Banff Springs Hotel rendered in her distinctive printmaking style, combining strong linear structure with expressive colour. The composition focuses on the building’s steeply pitched roofs, half-timbered walls, and the prominent turret capped with a cross, elements that anchor the scene firmly in place while allowing Shelton to explore pattern and rhythm across the surface.

Bold black outlines define the forms, while warm rusts, ochres, and deep oranges animate the rooflines and stonework, offset by cool greens in the lawn and distant treeline. The contrast between light and dark is decisive, giving the image weight and solidity, yet the colour remains transparent and lively, suggesting the influence of watercolour hand-colouring often associated with her prints.

Rather than presenting a grand, panoramic view, Shelton brings the viewer close to the structure, emphasizing its mass and texture and integrating it into its wooded surroundings. The result is an image that balances architectural precision with a human, observational sensibility. Banff Springs reflects Shelton’s ability to translate well-known Canadian landmarks into compositions that remain personal, grounded, and quietly expressive.