James Lumbers said: "Before painting hockey legend Gordie Howe, I had the chance to get to know him. Part of what I learned is captured in this painting. Here, echoes of the past come to life, as the future Mr. Hockey acquires his first skate. One of his older sisters had laid claim to the other skate, but Gordie knew that if he was patient he would own both. Skates changed Gordie Howe's life. He moved from farm life, skating on the frozen sloughs of a wintry prairie, to decades of fame in hockey arenas across North America. Painting Gordie Howe was a great challenge for me. It was also an opportunity to honour an outstanding career, and pay tribute to one of professional sports all time greatest athletes."