MT3, assisted by WE2 & WE4

This painting shows three tugs from the Warren Tug Company fleet leaving Ogden Point in Victoria, BC, after delivering the PoplarBranch, likely in 1957. They are, from left to right, the We2, the MT3, and the We4. All three have GM165 engines. The MT3, built in 1904 and 52 feet long, may have worked on the Columbia River before joining the Warren Tug Company. It was scuttled at Brotchie Ledge near Victoria, BC after a port accident in the 1970s. Not much is known about the We2 and the We4. In the early 1990s, the Warren Tug Company closed and sold their five remaining tugs.

Frederick James Douglas Warren (Esquimalt First Nation), and his wife Violet Warren (née Horton, Coast Salish and Métis), founded the Warren Tug Company in 1947 and later passed it on to their sons Darrell, Bill, Joe, and Ken. The Indigenous owned and operated company’s first job was towing the City of Victoria’s garbage scow. Other jobs included hauling rocks to build the Ogden Point breakwater, bringing ships into port, delivering coal to the leper colony on Bentinck Island, and towing logs and lumber for Victoria area mills.

This painting was a first for me. Starting with a black and white photo, Richard Paddle was able to clean it up for me and Campbell McCubbin was able to change to colour for me! After a bit of research on the colour of the tugboats at that time I decided to go with the blue. What a fun experience. Now I want to try this again. So many great old B&W photos of so many old vessels out there.

Story: Russ & Kyla Warren

Fine art prints are available in both 1 ½” thick canvas or fine art paper.

Canvas prints are Limited Edition (of 100) and come with a Certificate of Authenticity, are “ready to hang” and the sides are black.

Paper prints are open edition (not numbered and do not come with a certificate), and you would need to frame.

*All Prints are made to order, so please add approx. 3-4 weeks after ordering to be made and delivered

*Artist retains all rights to artwork for reproduction

These fine art prints are the perfect alternative to an original. Printed right here on Vancouver Island, these prints have the look and feel of something I have painted myself.

Canvas Print

The natural texture of the canvas creates prints that are often indistinguishable from the original artwork. Since they aren’t covered by glass, these prints offer vibrant, rich colors that can be enjoyed from any angle. The award-winning LYVE canvas features breathable, OBA-free, truly archival material, carefully finished with a satin coating. Certified by the Fine Art Trade Guild for over 100 years of archival quality, these prints come ready to hang with a sleek black side treatment. The stretcher bars are crafted from Paulownia wood—a strong, lightweight hardwood that is easy to work with, highly resistant to warping, decay, insects, and mold, and grows rapidly. Canvas prints make an excellent choice for wall art, as they offer a polished, tailored look without the need for an external frame.

Fine Art Paper

“Elegance Velvet” paper is a cold press paper, featuring a subtle texture similar to that of cold pressed watercolor paper. It weighs 300 gsm, giving it a substantial, heavy feel. Made from 100% cotton rag, it is naturally acid-free and archival, making it a standard choice for professional Fine Art reproduction prints. Its longevity is rated for over 100 years. As with most modern prints and papers, when properly stored and framed, they typically exceed the official 100-year rating for fade resistance and durability.