Living on the Edge
My recent hikes have taken me drifting to the liminal areas of space found on the Pacific coastline - places where land meets sea and where vegetation clings to survival on rocky terrain. The expressive and wind-swept sentinels - conifers and arbutus trees twisted by salt and air and time - stand as resilient witnesses to nature’s raw force and quiet endurance.
Trees – a recurring theme in my work – hold a compelling and symbolic presence. They speak to our shared resilience, interconnectedness and the vital role they play in sustaining the planet. In their posture and placement, they are metaphors for belonging and survival - strength in vulnerability.
This body of work entitled ‘Living On The Edge” seeks to expose the stark often overlook beauty of trees that inhabit the threshold between land and ocean. Edges, by nature, are paradoxical - they offer both risk and revelation. To live on the edge is to witness life stripped down to its essentials, to understand both the fragility and strength of what endures.
The companion theme, “Island Time”, reflects the lived experience and layered natural diversity of Vancouver Island and the surrounding Pacific archipelago. It speaks to the rhythm of this place - where time and time zones lose their urgency and the land encourages stillness.
Together, these themes form a portrait of place - one that invites us to wander, to pause, and to reflect on our own place within nature’s evolving story.