Sea Star Vineyard and Winery Label & Fundraiser - J35
Titled ‘J35’, this painting was commissioned and donated for the label of a special release sparkling wine by Sea Star Vineyards, located on Pender Island.
Released in August 2022, the 2021 J35 Sparkling is a collaboration between Sea Star Vineyards and Raincoast Conservation, with sales supporting the Southern Resident killer whale conservation program.
The label artwork features J35, who made international headlines in 2018 when she carried her deceased calf on her back for over two weeks. She gave birth again in 2020 to her son J57 (Phoenix), who is also showcased in the painting. Together they swim past Pender Island on a classic west coast day, as sunlight peeks through the clouds and sparkles on calm seas in the beautiful Gulf Islands of British Columbia. The birth and survival of J57 is a sign of hope to the struggling population of Southern Resident killer whales.
Purchase the wine: https://www.seastarvineyards.ca/product/j35-sparkling
Learn more about the Southern Resident killer whale conservation program: https://www.raincoast.org/killer-whales/
Original news story: https://artbydi.ca/2022/08/04/new-painting-for-sea-star-vineyards/
The Bowen Gateway Mural
The Bowen Gateway Mural, a 128-foot public art installation in Snug Cove, was created in 2021 by an amazing team of artists and community members. The mural weaves together stories of our special island; it highlights the landscape, the flora and fauna, the culture and history, and the whimsy and spirit of Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island). From the start, the project goal was to create a welcoming entrance to Bowen Island, rooted in collective ownership, that celebrates our natural environment, our culture, and our community spirit.
The core creative team of myself, Paula Love, and Sarah Haxby shaped a foundation design on which over 40 artists and community members collaborated: infants and children, youth artists, seasoned professionals, senior groups, photographers, and even our local cartoonist. Throughout its creation, the mural was challenged by the protocols of the COVID pandemic, the record-breaking heat-dome event, the atmospheric river weather-event, as well as a global paint shortage, but the enthusiasm of our community and the drive to celebrate our jewel in the Salish Sea prevailed. The mural was made possible by the Bowen Island Municipality, the Bowen Public Art Advisory Committee, and Sangre De Fruta Botanicals as well as countless other friends, family, and members of the community.
To read more about the mural and discover photographs and detailed descriptions of each panel written by Sarah Haxby, as well as a complete list of contributing artists, community members, and project supporters, click here.
Original news post: https://artbydi.ca/2022/05/03/bowen-gateway-mural/
“Snug Cove Gateway Mural Comes Alive” – Bowen Island Undercurrent Article: https://www.bowenislandundercurrent.com/local-news/snug-cove-gateway-mural-comes-alive-5091745
BC Children's Hospital Murals
In June 2016 I was selected by the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation to create two unique 360-degree murals for the Teck Acute Care Center at Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC. The Children’s Healing Experience Project is an innovative program that uses art as a therapeutic approach to healing: through distraction, relaxation, play, and learning.
The nationwide call for submissions amassed over 1200 applications for 400 unique pieces of art for the center: everything from sculpture to murals, ceiling art, original paintings to prints. The goal was the same - to celebrate the ecological and cultural diversity in BC and the Yukon while reducing anxiety and promoting healing. I conceptualized two designs for this project, which runs over a variety of wall sizes, angles, and around features in the room.
The first was a BC Alpine scene inspired by the Garibaldi and Joffre Lakes region for the General Procedure Room of floor 7. The design features higher altitude pine forest, meadows, mountains, a glacial lake, and local alpine flora and fauna. The second design was a BC Southern Coastal scene inspired by Cape Roger Curtis on Bowen Island, and featuring coastal arbutus, inter-tidal zones, open ocean, and native species of the Salish Sea. In both designs species were selected for their interest, gentle nature, and ecological significance. The Northern Pika, a species in Canada threatened by rapid climate change, is featured in the Alpine scene while Humpback Whales, who have returned to the waters of the Salish Sea with the restoration of the herring, are highlighted in the Costal scene.
The BC Children’s Hospital Foundation enlisted the help of clients and their families to make the decision, and the Alpine theme was selected. However, not long after the selection was made, I was invited to create a second mural, the BC Coastal scene, for the 1st floor Radiology Room. Two and a half months later both 360-degree murals (over 1200 square feet of illustrations across 16 individual art boards) were delivered with feelings of joy, exhilaration, exhaustion, and a little sadness at having finished a project that brought me so much happiness and allowed me to express the underlying message of my art: our wild places have healing power.
Read more about it in my original news story and update #1 and update #2. Also check out some photos of the installed murals!
Bowen Island Crosswalk Design
September 2015 was my first opportunity to do a public art installation. The Bowen Island Municipality ran a custom crosswalk design contest, and my submission “Salmon Stream” made it to the top three! The community voted on the final design, and “Salmon Stream” came out ahead by only a handful of votes.
The crosswalk stencil was applied at the intersection of Bowen Trunk and Cardena Rd. with the help of the Bowen Island Public Works staff. The runner up design, grade 7 student Oscar Knowles-Dekker’s “Slugs” also found a home at the crossing by BIC school. Special thanks to the Bowen Island Municipality and Public Works staff, and all the members of the Bowen community for giving this design your vote!
