It was in 1931, when “Hank” (Henry Simpkins) bought his first car. This allowed him to get out of the city and discover a rural life that captivated his painterly interests. With the acute eyes and ability of a trained illustrator, these maple sugar camps were of particular stimulation to celebrate in his work. He was welcomed annually to return to many during the “season”, mid-March to late April. The tradition continues today in the Ste. Monique area with only small family farms where the tractor has replaced the horse. Few Canadian artists painted a horse as well. His friend and fellow “horse” painter, Robert Lougheed, left Canada, exchanging his horses of Lachute, Quebec instead to pursue a more lucrative career painting the horses of the American west.

Henry Simpkins arrived in Montreal from Winnipeg around 1929. As early as 1930, his works were accepted in the juried exhibition at the Art Association of Montreal and the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts where he continued to exhibit until 1955.