The “Downton Abbey” of New Brunswick

This ongoing pen-and-ink series explores the Van Horne Estate on Minister’s Island, New Brunswick, through its architecture, interiors, working spaces, and traces of everyday life.

Working from my own photography and observations of the site, I use detailed freehand ink drawings to investigate the spaces beyond their historical significance—the worn surfaces, unusual details, objects left in place, and evidence of the people who lived and worked there.

Rather than simply documenting the estate, the series is an exercise in looking closely: preserving small details, textures, and quiet moments that are easy to overlook when experiencing a historic place as a whole.