During his early years in Canada Kilpin likely contemplated portraiture
as the main branch of his artistic career as an artist. From 1907
to 1911 Kilpin exhibited an inordinately large number of portraits
at the exhibitions sponsored by the Art Association of Montreal. When
Kilpin gained full-time employment as an art schoolteacher, he was
no longer dependent on portrait commissions for his livelihood. So,
by 1912 much of Kilpin's artistic energy was devoted to the painting
of landscapes. There can be little doubt, though, that for Kilpin
portraiture presented an exacting artistic challenge as he strove
to create a lasting record of his sitters' lives and character. For
both artist and sitter the legacy remains.
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