Anyone who has visited the Harrison Hot Springs area knows how beautiful it is, but Vancouver artist Siobhan Humston is hoping to show the area's beauty in a new way.
Not Lost at Sea, Humston's newest exhibition, will be showing at the Ranger Station Art Gallery this month.
The exhibition is divided into five parts, each using a different medium. "What the Sea Remembers" is seven graphite drawings, "Endangered 101" is 101 un-fired clay sculptures suspended on T-pins, "A Day Like This" is over 200 graphite paint drawings, "Row the Boat Out" is 30 graphite and acrylic drawings, and "Desire Line" is a suspended installation of 51 hand sewn boats made from blankets and one wax bronze cast boat.
With each of the pieces showcasing different aspects of the sea, it's clear that the exhibition focuses on nature. But there's more to it than meets the eye.
"It's metaphorical," Humston explained. "The boat represents the human psyche and the sea represents life."
For Humston, this is a way to get viewers to connect her work with their own personal stories.
"It has recognizable aspects and stories, but I want them to bring the story that they see in themselves," she said. "I want them to experience a connection to nature, but also awe and curiosity."
Humston, who was also the artist in residence at the Ranger Station Art Gallery from 2012-2013, hopes that the exhibition will also connect viewers to the area's nature.
"I love the area," she said. "It's beautiful and easy to be in nature."
But as beautiful as the Harrison area is, Humston's work also shows the change over time.
"I was looking for a vehicle to to tell stories of nature, but also what's happening to nature," she said. "But I don't want it to be too directive. There's a demise of nature, but maybe some people see that, and maybe some people don't."
Not Lost at Sea will be showing at the Ranger Station Art Gallery, located at 98 Rockwell Drive in Harrison Hot Springs, from Sept. 4 – 28, with an opening reception on Sept. 4 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. For more information visit kentharrisonartscouncil.com or siobhanhumstonart.com.