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The Wild Side - an exhibit of new works by photographer, Trevor Haldane.
Show opens at 7pm on Thursday October 26th with a reception with the artist and will be available for viewing through November.
Artist Statement:
Many people live cut off from the natural world. Here in the Elk Valley we are lucky enough to live on the fringe of the wild. Walk a straight line in any direction long enough and you will leave behind the rigid concrete geometry of this little city and will soon find yourself following the meandering dirt paths made for and by the local wildlife. Tread softly, and you may even come eye-to-eye with our most sacred neighbours.
This exhibition is a celebration of wildlife in its natural environment. The wildlife portraits are printed on canvas with custom wooden frames made by the artist. The majority of the photos were captured within a short drive from the gallery. In addition to the photos, there is video footage being shown on a TV monitor. Some of this footage was captured using automatic hidden trail cameras, triggered by motion sensors. Night footage is captured using infrared light, invisible to the naked eye. Removing the presence of the human photographer gets us one step closer to viewing the hidden animal world on its own terms. This world was here long before us and will continue to be here long after us. It is our responsibility to do what we can to lessen our impact on the environment and protect these animals for the future.
We humans have worked so hard to distance ourselves from the natural world as if we are somehow separate from it. The reality is, we are simply another species in the great tapestry of life on earth. As you meet eyes with the different animals arranged in the gallery, please take a moment to consider them as they are: our cousins.
Artist Bio:
Trevor Haldane is a wildlife photographer, woodworker and all-around maker of wonderful things. Growing up canoe tripping in Ontario gave him an early fondness of the outdoors and a love for seeing animals in the wild. In the past several years wildlife photography has blossomed from a budding hobby to a consuming passion. Finding himself without a job during the pandemic, Trevor devoted himself completely to this new hobby, crawling through the parks and ravines of downtown Toronto in search of birds and raccoons to photograph.
After moving to Fernie in the fall of 2020, he found himself spoiled for choice with the wide variety of charismatic animals in the Kootenays. He has discovered that by closely observing the habits and movements of local wildlife, he now eagerly anticipates each season for the annual spectacle it contains. Whether it’s the salmon run in fall or the returning songbirds in the spring, each season holds a bounty of amazing micro-seasons to look forward to. Looking for and learning about the wildlife that surrounds you, wherever you are, will help you see even the most mundane setting with new eyes.
Show opens at 7pm on Thursday October 26th and will be available for viewing through November.
