Participating in group exhibitions is a fun and enjoyable experience for many artists. Recently I was invited to contribute work to a group show and sale organized as a fundraiser for our beloved Cumberland Museum.  The Museum is curating an exciting seasonal event called “Cumberland as Muse” this Friday December 2nd and Saturday December 3rd at the Cumberland Cultural Centre.
“Cumberland as Muse” features creative works inspired by the physical, cultural and historic landscape of the Village of Cumberland. This showcase is an opportunity to experience the incredible talents of local artists and catch a glimpse of some of the treasures that have been hidden away in the Cumberland Museum collection. Contemporary and historic paintings, photographs, prints, books, writings, short films, cards and artifacts will all be featured.  A percentage of proceeds from art sold at the event will go directly to support Museum programs and operations.

I have chosen to contribute the above image as I think it is especially relevant for the theme. The photograph is printed as a 16x 20 inch canvas wrapped laser jet print, already stretched, mounted and ready to hang on the wall. Other artists sharing their Cumberland inspired creations include Brian Scott, Tracy Kobus, Bonnie Davy, Corre Alice, Brian Buckrell, Ron Pogue, Michelle Peters, Cathy Stoyko, Brenda Jackson, Rena Rogers, Hendrika Stigter, Destanne Lundquist, Lorenz Jimenez, Gail Neuls, Kevin Flesher, Tina Willard-Stepan, Jill Banting, Tom Hutton, Lynn Farwell, Kelly Lees,  Shawn Pigott, Kim Bannerman and many many more.

The Cumberland Museum will also be exhibiting historic black and white photos from their significant collection and large format prints can be ordered through the Museum in time for Christmas presents. This is also a great opportunity to renew your Museum membership for 2012! The celebration kicks off Friday December 2nd from 7 pm to 10 pm with a Special Gala Event featuring live music, a bar, prizes and tasty treats. Special door prizes will be drawn at 9 pm. The show continues on Saturday December 3rd from 10 am till 4 pm. For more information about this event call the Cumberland Museum at 250-336-2445 or go to www.cumberlandmuseum.ca.

I will be attending the Friday night gala and I hope to see you there.

Here is one of my popular posts from last year -reposted

Every October, in this part of the world, we witness the spectacular demise of a million maple leaves. The onset of fall begins the spread of a gradual decay over the earth, in sharp contrast with summer’s rich abundance. Light is receding. Warmth has flown away with the whisper of a chill wind and we prepare for another Canadian winter. The weakening afternoon sun lingers momentarily on golden hued leaves then drops early behind the distant mountains. The brilliance of this autumn sun is a juxtaposition of both warming and fading, and I am reminded that there is a definite lesson for all of us in this beautiful season of decay. The cycle of nature has a plan. Endings will always be followed by beginnings. With death there is always rebirth. The fall signals the necessary end of summer in order for winter to take hold and gradually give way to spring. Darkness is part of the process and we know light will one day return. In this future renewal we place our eternal faith. This time of year always pulls my senses inward and I marvel at how my internal world is shaped and nurtured by the earth’s rhythms and cycles. Spring and summer pull me out to the warm rays of the sun and autumn draws me into myself.

Autumn also accelerates the acute awareness I have of the passing of time. It sometimes leaves me feeling as though I should have grown somewhat wiser since the last time I watched the trees denude and bare their twisted boughs. While the world outside screams the passing of another year with vibrant and colorful defiance, I mentally count off to myself the year’s accomplishment. Raising a child has given me a whole new perspective of time. As the mother of a busy youngster I sometimes feel I don’t have enough time to fully realize the kind of accomplishments that are of use to the outside world. However I am discovering that there are valuable learning and teaching situations experienced within our families and day-to-day life, many opportunities to grow in order to become even more of who we are.

It seems irritation in this life is a given. We are constantly challenged by circumstances beyond our control. Every week most of us will face some sort of disappointment, criticism, set-back, hostility or other obstacle. Sometimes these obstacles are minor and sometimes these challenges are life altering in their magnitude. We always have a choice in how we proceed. I have learned that tremendous challenges to overcome bring an opportunity to open my heart. Obstacles provide for me the impetus to work to change outgrown beliefs, identities and lifestyles. Once again I find myself placing faith in my deep understanding that darkness is part of the process. The light will always eventually return.

‘Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith”

-Margaret Shepherd

For nearly a decade now I have made the annual road trip down to Duncan BC, to photograph students and staff at Island Oak High School, one of Vancouver Island’s only Waldorf high schools. It’s a pretty different kind of place than the schools I went to as a kid. A Waldorf education is a unique experience that incorporates art and creativity into a broader sense of learning. Waldorf teachers must learn how to provide this to students by being continually mindful of their creative selves. An interesting component of the Waldorf experience is that teachers move through the grades with their class. Therefore, an important aspect of teaching in a Waldorf school is to build strong relationships and to develop a sense of community within, as well as outside of the school population. Teachers who are answering a calling have a deep longing to be passionately connected to the work they do. When learning intersects with life and does not seem to be removed from it, then it is far easier to engage young minds and draw out their thirst for discovery. Teachers are extremely valuable in our society, and a good teacher can make all the difference in the life of a child. Of course, any school is only as good as its teachers and Island Oak High is a wonderful school with some very dedicated teachers. That must be why the kids are so great!

Always a pleasure Island Oakers.

As a portrait photographer who prefers shooting on location to studio shots, I keep a list of special places tucked away for matching up with the right people. Often clients request a specific location, or prefer to be close to their home, or on the beach. So some special spots, although amazing, rarely get used. Luckily there are people like Staci & Aaron who were out to have some fun, and not to mention break all the rules from my portraiture 101 class while they were at it. The Comox Valley has some gorgeous places to photograph people. There are parks and beaches, timber framed buildings, back alleys and farms. The scenery available is actually quite diverse that you can usually find something for everyone. However, once in a while you meet a special couple who really require something a little different. This session was shot at one of my all time favorite locations, a derelict building near the Tsolum River that apparently only the graffitti artists know about. Fortunately for us, on the day of our shoot it looked like the artists had just vacated the premises shortly before we arrived, leaving behind a fresh coat of brightly colored paint for the backdrop, and even some full spray cans for a little impromptu work of our own. Hope they didn’t mind.

Well Done Everyone! Another memorable event is in the bag.

The journey of the twins is an archetypal aspect of humanity repeatedly expressed in various forms through the annals of history. The union of opposites is a dimension that is an inseparable part of our collective unconscious as a species, and often manifests in stories and symbols. Most frequently the twins archetype represents the duality of masculinity and femininity, as seen in the Chinese Tao. We also see the twins archetype in the classic Greek and Roman tales that inspired the constellation of Gemini, as well as popular children’s fables such as Hansel and Gretal, or Raggedy Anne and Andy. The aspect of duality resides deep within us as an innate way of understanding the world. Perhaps that is why there has always been a universal fascination with twins, especially identical twins.

A recent photo session found me wandering the back alleys of Cumberland with two sisters, identical twins, who in all honesty couldn’t have been more different. Yet, there was an eerie similarity to their uniqueness. Working with Crystal & Jennifer I could see similar traits and mannerisms expressed through the filter of their separate personalities. Here were two beautiful women, each striding forth in the world as only they know how. I always wonder what it must be like to have a twin. Of course there is the obvious fun you can have with a sibling who looks exactly the same as you however, our world is so heavily influenced by the cult of individualism. But this much I know is true, you don’t have to spend too much time with Crystal & Jennifer to realize how distinctly they express themselves. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Thanks Ladies, You Rock!

Buying a new home is exciting and thrilling, but often described by many as being fairly stressful. When you buy a home, how can you be sure that you are purchasing a solid structure? What assurance do you have there will be no surprising and costly expenditures in your near future? Some things are easy to spot, even by the most untrained eyes. Most people can detect broken windows, water damage, or a rickety, unsafe railing. However, there could be problems that are not easily identifiable unless you take your flashlight and crawl around deep within the bowels of the house. Dry rot, carpenter ants, faulty wiring, leaks, and mould are just some of the nasty problems that could be lurking beneath the freshly painted exterior of any house for sale. The sellers may not even be aware of the problems. Sellers could even be appraising their home too high based on the incorrect assumption that everything is working fine.

Luckily there are highly trained professionals who can help first time as well as  experienced home-buyers ascertain the condition of any house being considered for purchase. Norm Hoessmann is a Comox valley house inspector, who recently hired me to shoot some pictures for his website. His job is to find those problems that might cost new homeowners unexpected investments in home repairs. Armed with his flashlight, a ladder, and a few tools, he will search through a house and give the potential purchasers a report of everything he finds. Homeowners can see the kinds of repairs needed and decide if they have found their dream home or a source of endless maintenance.

Finding a home inspector you can trust is an important step. Norm has created a website to help him connect with potential clients and real estate agents in the Comox Valley. To find out more about home inspections check out his website www.aardvarkinspections.ca

The desire to eat local has never been stronger in communities all around the world. Health conscious citizens are demanding more natural food choices and even mainstream media is driving home the message of sustainability. Rich in culinary diversity, the Comox Valley is a fresh food lover’s paradise. This area is home to vast swaths of productive farmland, a thriving seafood and fisheries industry, award winning artisan cheeses and wines, handcrafted breads, microbreweries, distilleries, dairies, and a wide variety of livestock, including bison, emu, pork, poultry and lamb. And of course, there are all those cherished backyard veggie patches pumping out several tonnes of zucchini annually.

One thing the valley has historically lacked is its own commercial cultured dairy products. For those people (me included) who love yogurt with their fruit and cereal in the morning, or dolloped on their chicken vindaloo, the only option was to have it trucked over from the mainland. At great effort and expense, our yogurt must travel along miles of roadway in a refrigerated fossil fueled truck, ride a ferry through marine mammal habitat, and land in one piece on supermarket shelves still with enough time to consume before the expiry date arrives.

This is all about to change. Based out of Royston, Tree Island Cultured Dairy is bringing its new line of probiotic dairy products to the local market this spring. Island made stirred yogurts, strained yogurts and yogurt beverages are expertly crafted from grass fed Vancouver Island cow’s milk. Simple natural flavors like honey and vanilla bean infuse each rich, creamy spoonful.

Owners Scott and Merrisa have created a quality product to be enjoyed by families much like their own. With two growing boys, family life is focused around the ritual of eating. However, family life that includes two small children is also focused around community. The passionate young proprietors of Tree Island Cultured Dairy want to contribute to the health and well being of their community. Fairly new to the Comox Valley, the family already feels embraced by the welcoming tone of Island living.

Their delicious products are now available in select grocery stores and offered at a host of Community Farmer’s Markets up and down the island. To find out where you can find Vancouver Island’s first yogurt products and try some for yourself,  visit their facebook page Tree Island Cultured Dairy and keep an eye out for their website coming soon.

  Welcome to the Comox Valley Merissa, Scott and family. Thanks for sharing your inspired vision. Best of Luck in your new adventure.

Mothers Day, Mothering Sunday, La Fiesta della Mamma, Muttertag, Fetes de Meres, Dia de las Madres, whatever you prefer to call it, the sentiment is the same. Honoring our mothers is about expressing gratitude and love. Symbols of motherhood have been revered and worshiped since prehistoric times. Early peoples typically celebrated mothering in the spring to coincide with the rebirth of the land, thus also recognizing the procreative power of women. Synonymous with fertility and nurturing, the Mother Goddess figures prominently in ancient myths and legends. And then somewhere along our journey, in those tumultuous middle years, humanity began to concern itself more with grand scale warfare, colonization and industrialization. Reverence for the simple creation of turning blood to bone was mislaid for loftier goals.

Calls for an official day to appreciate Mothers came from the feminist belief that woman have the responsibility to shape society at the social, moral and political level through child-rearing practices. If we reflect upon this for a moment we can recognize the enormous impact that mothering has upon the life of a child. Mothering is a task of immeasurable social and personal importance, requiring unwavering dedication in the face of personal and professional self-sacrifice, yet it brings with it the sweetest of life affirming rewards.

A mother’s love is boundless and irreplaceable, yet many of us take our own mothers for granted. That usually changes when we have our own children, and find ourselves apologizing to and thanking our mothers, horrified at what we put another human being through. But that is the cycle of life, we are given to and then we give. We are served and then we serve. As women everywhere become Mothers for the first time, a nurturing Goddess is born within each of them, and they now live to love. And as those children grow and develop into independent young people, the Mother Goddess must also grow, she must continually adapt to her changing roles. It is not an easy task.

Yes, we struggle and stumble, but many times we also glow. Some Mothers I know are simply radiant, performing their lifelong work beautifully, so fully present. With grace and style, taking the good with the bad and making a better day of it. Recently I had the pleasure of creating images for one such remarkable Mother, and her two lovely daughters. Their bond touched my heart. So I dedicate this Mothers Day post to Caroline, you are truly inspiring. To Aiden and Maia, I hope you know how lucky you are.

Happy Mothers Day

Photography is a my business, but when I’m out shooting photos for my own enjoyment, photography is my passion and a form of personal expression. Many people enjoy photography as a hobby, and luckily we all see things a little differently. Inspired by the work of American photographer Duane Michals, I often work in sequences and explore themes and subtext in my personal photographs. Living in the same small village for nearly 16 years I am challenged to find new and innovative ways of seeing my community. I’ve probably spent what can be added up to several days or even weeks wandering this village looking for fresh images. Lately I have found myself drawn to the streets at night. There is something slightly haunting about Cumberland after dark. Shadows and dimly lit sidewalks create a swarthy and slightly dangerous ambiance. Glowing windows randomly dot the darkness and artificial lights create pools of color gathered up by the surrounding murkiness. There is a surreal mystery of place, and I like the sense of solitude unattainable on these same streets during the day. A sleepy hush falls over the entire village at dusk and I am lured out by the fog, and the bright moons, and starry skies.

Nighttime has always represented the darker side of the human experience, and we instinctively heighten our awareness in the dark. Humans have a long history of interactions with the night that has left a permanent impression in our collective psyche. Brave was the ancient cave dweller who ventured out past the safety of the campfire.

Working with the theme of nighttime and darkness pushes me to see what isn’t there as well as what is. The photography is as much about the process as it is about the finished product. I have worked with many different themes before, such as laundry, or the color green, or feet. Its amazing the kinds of things you can learn when you set out to explore the many facets of one particular topic.