AN artist’s 40-year love affair with Skippers Canyon has led to the gorge being captured in a book of paintings, sketches, anecdotes and history, being released next week. As recounted in the preface of Skippers Canyon — History, Art and Adventure, author and artist John Gillies first came under Skippers’ spell during a road trip while on honeymoon with his wife, Jenny.

The Christchurch-based retired physician has since been a regular visitor to the place he calls his turangawaewae, or spiritual home.

‘‘It’s the most extraordinary part of the country,’’ Gillies says.

‘‘I’ve travelled reasonably well overseas and seen some extraordinary mountain places, but I come back to Skippers. It’s majestic.’’

His paintings capture the canyon during mid-winter when the low sun produces stark contrast between light and shade.

‘‘Winters give you the most beautiful long shadows. There’s magic in the snow and the early-morning light. It’s absolutely electric.’’

Knowing the landscape is inspiration for many artists, and wanting to give his impressions a point of difference, Gillies paints with a palette knife.

‘‘There’s so many fantastic artists capturing this district, I knew I had to offer something different.’’

It’s a technique he adopted early in his career, involving literally layering the oil-based paint on with a trowel.

Once he’s mixed his colours on the palette he takes a large volume of paint and ‘‘works it’’ on to the canvas.

‘‘You want gradations of colour, you can’t have bits and blobs. You’ve got to manipulate it so it’s graded.’’

The works have a muscular, ‘‘almost 3D quality’’ while also depicting fine details.

As well as paintings and sketches of the snow-capped peaks, craggy foothills and valley floors, the canyon’s built form is captured via its many old miners’ huts and farm houses.

The book intersperses his descriptions of the pictures with a potted colonial history of the place and his own travails traversing it.

‘‘I’m hoping people who might pick it up and read it are one, people who have heard about Skippers and are curious about it and two, people who are absolutely ignorant of the history but don’t want to spend hours reading the details.’’