Winter scene - print 12 x 8 inches
Have you ever wondered why there are so many 1-1/2 storey houses in Ontario? Human nature being what it is, people devised ways to get around tax laws. The property tax laws of Upper Canada were based on the number of storeys in a house. The Victorian style 1-1/2 storey cottage allowed for two levels at a cheaper rate with a window in the gothic gable. As the century advanced, the pitch of the roofs increased to allow for more living space and still stay within the tax limits. This L-shaped house is very much in the style of the Ontario farmhouse. Most farmhouses had a porch of sorts, the windows were semi-circular and the roof was not intricate, but had gables decorated with gingerbread. Along the front of the house was a porch, a necessity to protect against the elements and an area where butter was churned along with other farm tasks.
People often ask me if it is a sketch. No, it is not! It is a photograph switched to B&W in post-processing and with the snowstorm in the photo, it makes it look even colder.
