In his home in Harrison Hot Springs, artist Max Newhouse is getting ready to honour the 20th anniversary of Nunavut joining Canada with a gift for every classroom in the territory: a deck of cards.

香蕉视频直播淚 wanted to make sure each classroom in Nunavut, which isn香蕉视频直播檛 hard, gets a deck of cards,香蕉视频直播� Newhouse said. 香蕉视频直播淪o they can learn about the country and how it grew.香蕉视频直播�

He has the deck spread out across a work bench in his studio, and it香蕉视频直播檚 not what you香蕉视频直播檇 expect. On one side, a provincial or territorial flag, along the region香蕉视频直播檚 capital and the date it joined Canada. On the other, seasonal variants of the Canadian flag.

Those same images of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 flag were hung around his studio: the traditional flag was summer, a falling maple leaf within two borders of red was for autumn, a blank white canvas within the red borders was for winter and a sprouting leaf was for spring.

He had been painting the Canadian flag in this form since 1974 香蕉视频直播� mostly in quadrants, but eight months ago he tried it as a set of four playing cards.

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香蕉视频直播淚 just thought, there香蕉视频直播檚 something to it,香蕉视频直播� he said about the painting. 香蕉视频直播淪o I just kept thinking 香蕉视频直播� is there any way I can develop a game that has only four numbers or four symbols?香蕉视频直播�

It took months, but he did.

The object of the game is simple 香蕉视频直播� match the four flag seasons to get four of a kind of a full year 香蕉视频直播� and in many ways is reminiscent of an ancient Chinese game 香蕉视频直播淭he Game of Leaves.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t makes me feel like I香蕉视频直播檓 connected to ancient history,香蕉视频直播� he said.

But, as Newhouse is keen to point out, the game is surprisingly complex and varied when played.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a very complex, yet extremely simple,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t should have been around thousands of years ago.香蕉视频直播�

He香蕉视频直播檚 tested the card game at Harrison Hot Springs Elementary, and the keen eyes of critical students have helped him perfect the game.

香蕉视频直播淚t was the kids that figured out香蕉视频直播� what to do for the back of the cards, Newhouse said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey said why don香蕉视频直播檛 you do the provinces and territories.香蕉视频直播�

With that change, Nunavut became its heart.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e actually the top card,香蕉视频直播� he said, gently looking at the cards on his bench. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e number 13, that makes them the king.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e like a big crown on top of our country,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a nice symbol.香蕉视频直播�

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Originally, Newhouse had planned to send a deck of cards to each classroom in Nunavut for the April 1 anniversary of the territory香蕉视频直播檚 entrance to Canada. But, with changes still needing to be made to the game, he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 able to make the deadline.

香蕉视频直播淚 going to miss that mark, but not entirely,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚ntellectually, the game being correct, I can香蕉视频直播檛 rush it. But I香蕉视频直播檓 going to absolutely get it there before the school year starts next year,香蕉视频直播� he added.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 still in their anniversary. It just isn香蕉视频直播檛 April 1.香蕉视频直播�

grace.kennedy@ahobserver.com
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