September - November 2019
Love and Loss - the story
Why did they only steal the Dix paintings?
In the painting studio of the Fine Arts Department at Kwantlen University, a number of the remaining paintings from the end of semester portfolios were stacked in the storage racks that line one side of the walls.
Classes were now finished, and some work still remained in the stacks, waiting to be collected by Dec 13th. On the morning of the 14th the professor’s assistant noted that the Dix paintings were gone, all 13 canvases, and he simply assumed that Julian had collected them as expected.
Unknown to the assistant, Julian had arranged with his professor to come pick them up a few days later. On December 16th Julian stood in front of the stacks, panic flooding as he desperately scanned the slots looking for the canvases that made up the best work he has yet done.
To lose these is to lose the touchline with his wife; she who has so recently been lost to cancer - urging him with her dying wish, ”It’s your turn. Go and paint!"
‘Love and Loss’ is the title of the extraordinary series of 4 canvases that paints the catharsis of grief, capturing the resonance of deep love, expressing the hope and fortitude to step forward into a new life without her.
By Dec 17th, after a thorough search of all the studios in the entire department, it was becoming clear that the paintings had not simply been moved, they had been taken.
But why the Dix paintings, why only those?
None of the other student’s work had been touched.
* * *
Is ‘Love and Loss’ actually lost?
Who took these paintings?
Why were they taken?
Was this a jealous student?
Was this a pre-planned, orchestrated hit?
Or, was this a random opportunistic grab?
Did someone just want some canvases, planning to paint over them?
But if this, then why did they take only the Dix paintings? Next semester’s panels, ready and blank, were right there in the stacks.
CCTV footage confirms the paintings being taken from the college, but well positioned hoodies obscure the perpetrator's faces. RCMP can only identify them as a man and a woman, loading the canvases into an older model white station wagon.
Classes were now finished, and some work still remained in the stacks, waiting to be collected by Dec 13th. On the morning of the 14th the professor’s assistant noted that the Dix paintings were gone, all 13 canvases, and he simply assumed that Julian had collected them as expected.
Unknown to the assistant, Julian had arranged with his professor to come pick them up a few days later. On December 16th Julian stood in front of the stacks, panic flooding as he desperately scanned the slots looking for the canvases that made up the best work he has yet done.
To lose these is to lose the touchline with his wife; she who has so recently been lost to cancer - urging him with her dying wish, ”It’s your turn. Go and paint!"
‘Love and Loss’ is the title of the extraordinary series of 4 canvases that paints the catharsis of grief, capturing the resonance of deep love, expressing the hope and fortitude to step forward into a new life without her.
By Dec 17th, after a thorough search of all the studios in the entire department, it was becoming clear that the paintings had not simply been moved, they had been taken.
But why the Dix paintings, why only those?
None of the other student’s work had been touched.
* * *
Is ‘Love and Loss’ actually lost?
Who took these paintings?
Why were they taken?
Was this a jealous student?
Was this a pre-planned, orchestrated hit?
Or, was this a random opportunistic grab?
Did someone just want some canvases, planning to paint over them?
But if this, then why did they take only the Dix paintings? Next semester’s panels, ready and blank, were right there in the stacks.
CCTV footage confirms the paintings being taken from the college, but well positioned hoodies obscure the perpetrator's faces. RCMP can only identify them as a man and a woman, loading the canvases into an older model white station wagon.
Julian continues to search for the 13 stolen paintings -
in particular the 'Love & Loss' series.
It was never intended that he would sell these paintings,
they are meant to be gifts to each of their 4 sons, as memorial to their mother.
Please post this link in your social media,
help Julian to recover his stolen artworks...
help Julian to recover his stolen artworks...
If you see these paintings, or have any information as to their whereabouts, please contact the
Surrey RCMP:
604 599 0502
Please quote case number:
2019-196450
Surrey RCMP:
604 599 0502
Please quote case number:
2019-196450
Should the paintings be returned as mysteriously as they disappeared,
there will be no repercussions.
there will be no repercussions.