Up Around the Bend presents a patchwork, folk iconography of northern BC, where humanity and the wilderness intersect. Viewers are invited on an uncanny road trip along Highway 16 through northwest British Columbia, a remote region where I have lived, worked and driven extensively, and a place I know deeply as “home,” layered with vivid memories. In this body of work I combine fragments of these memories, such as highway billboards, gas stations, and particular mountain peaks, which I piece together in unusual ways with decoration, pattern and repetition, inspired by various folk arts.

By showing the highway as a transitional space between the urban and the wild, these works consider the complicated presence of humanity within the natural world. Symbols of settlement and industry are woven within a larger universe of creatures and plant life. Through building up layers of gouache paint on dark paper, things that might otherwise be overlooked emerge out of the shadows. While the situation may be dark, it is never entirely without light. I contrast difficult subject matter with a playful, colourful use of materials. Signs and landmarks along the way suggest options for way-finding through an uncertain space. Billboards reflect the culture and politics of northwest BC through simple language, while offering moments of unexpected comic relief. I believe humour is an essential tool for resilience in challenging times, and this body of work is part of my search for joy and delight within a turbulent world.