Ian Thom notes that Snow Shadows—Grouse Mountain, a version of Grouse from 1928, is characteristic of the development of Weston’s style that emerged in 1923. The 1930 version, Shadows Grouse Mountain, in this collection comes two years after he painted the other, similar work, towards the end of the second period.

By this time, "Weston had achieved a convincing sense of atmosphere and space."(8) During this period, he used "paint to create a sense of mass…compositions are simplified, detail is reduced and broad solid forms are used."(9)

Weston believed the only way to truly know a place was to spend time there.(10) He often returned to the same spots, drawing the same subject several times. Weston mainly explored the area around Vancouver and Victoria while he was a teacher. He went on sketching trips in the Kootenays and Okanagan after he retired.(11)

(Endnotes)