Here in the Peace we live in a land of extremes! Our long harsh winters humble us…. and can remind us how fragile we are as hairless mammals. After a long 7-8 months of cold, our late spring comes to life. All the people, animals, and plants start the race to grow, gather and conserve for the long winter ahead. I would describe our climate as “intense” with constant changing colors, and temperatures. The landscape is also changing because of our direct influence through industry and farming.
My way of communicating the intensity of our landscape is through vibrant colors, strong lines, and contrast. I use multiple transparent acrylic glazes in my under painting to build color intensity. Then I selectively cover with opaque tones while being mindful to allow some of the under painting to show through. My inspiration is usually discovered while hiking in the Peace, although the walking trail that follows the Dawson Creek has revealed many picturesque opportunities. I then take photos of these moments and use them as references for paintings. I always find that the photographs don’t do justice in comparison to what I see, and I opt to change colors to how I feel they should be represented from my memory of that moment. The use of light is very important so I find my self like a moth to flame, being drawn to high contrast subject matter.
Going out on these hikes and adventures to photograph material are just as fun as completing a finished piece of art. While immersed in nature the whole world opens up, filled with the vivid sensations of breath and smell. Living in this region has helped to develop my character as an individual and an artist. My roots started here and the more knowledge I gain about the areas intricate workings creates an even deeper appreciation for the Peace. The purpose for creating this body of work is to share through my own eyes, the diverse and sometimes unnoticed beauty we live among st. With this goal in mind I hope to convey the importance of our landscape and inspire its preservation for everyone to benefit from.