Janice Saunders — Artist, Photographer

Land’s End – solo show at the Atrium Gallery

by janice on January 6, 2012

With only a week to go I am busy with all the final details before setting up my solo show at the Atrium Gallery at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive in Ottawa. Many weeks of work before the holidays involved settling on a standard image size and frame size for the majority of the photos, deciding on frames and mats, and choosing which paper to print the images on. With hundreds of photos to choose from it was difficult to select only 19 to display but I wanted the exhibit to reflect the theme of the show as best as possible. I have also included two text panels to provide some background about the Juan de Fuca Trail and about the journey of adventure and discovery my family took along the Vancouver Island coast. A montage of candid shots is included to show the human side of the trip.

I am posting the two texts here for everyone as well as all the images in the show. Enjoy!

Family adventure on the Juan de Fuca Trail

Adventures provide opportunities for growth. Always interested in new travel experiences, my husband, five sons, one son’s girlfriend and myself decided to try long distance backpacking. Mostly day hikers, this would be a new experience for many of us.

The Juan de Fuca Trail is described as a strenuous 47km multi-day hike. Little did we know what challenges lay ahead over the next five days! Our journey began by shuttle bus in Victoria to the trail head at China Beach. We had the return trip on the West Coast Shuttle booked to pick us up beside the Port Renfrew Hotel. With four bear barrels weighted down with enough food for 8 people, we hit the trail.

After a moderate 9 km hike through scenic BC rainforest, we camped at Bear Beach. A wee nap, then it was picture taking time, dinner and a game of Hearts. I made wonderful use of my wide angle lens for the beach shots. Kids never get tired of exploring the beach…rocks, driftwood, water, mussels. We even saw some whales in the distance.

Day two was our real test. This 11 km portion is rated as most difficult.! It consists of 12 headlands to ascend and descend and approximately 3000ft of elevation gain. There were some switchbacks to ease the pain but also a surprising number of vertical scrambles up the headlands that required grabbing onto tree roots and negotiating quite a lot of mud. After 6km of this we had lunch. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the next campsite. But on the trail, as is often in life, there is no turning back- you have no other option but to continue to move forward. We arrived at remote Chin Beach exhausted and nabbed the last campsite big enough for our group. We ate dinner, made a fire, chatted with other hikers and my son Michael left a small inuksuk on some driftwood as a reminder of our visit.

Fog rolled in the morning of the third day. After a search down the beach, the trailhead into the forest appeared as a rocky outcropping 15-20 ft above the sand. Hmm! Some of us climbed up with our packs on but I opted to send my pack up first and then not very gracefully, clambered up after. There were a few nasty steep bits at the beginning but it was definitely a reprieve from yesterday’s punishment. Scariest of all, at the end of the day before descending, the trail narrowed to a foot wide track skirting the edge of the cliff around picturesque Sombrio Point.

Sombrio Beach is a lovely wide sandy beach, very popular with day-trippers and surfers. It also has an interesting history. Apparently Sombrio was home to a year round community of ‘hippies’ from the 1970′s to the 90′s before the BC government bought the land and turned it into a park. This was our last beach campsite of the trip…soft warm sand, cascading waterfalls, the soothing sound of the surf and a beautiful sunset.

We began our fourth day hiking on a sandy beach, through a boulder field along the water’s edge, back into the forest and then out onto a very different landscape of crusty black slabs of rock stretching out into the sea. We saw lots of fresh bear scat on the trail and a cougar paw print in the mud but none of the big predators themselves.

Later that afternoon we arrived at the Paysant Creek campsites up on a ridge. Filled with tall trees and ferns, it was dark, still and quiet. Now deep in the forest, we could no longer hear the roar of the surf below.

The bear cache at Paysant was two tall poles with a hook and pulley system to hang your food at a distance from the campsites. At about 4 am my husband ducked out behind the tent for a minute. Soon after he returned I heard a metallic clanking noise from the direction of the bear cache…jangle, jangle. I listened again for any other sounds but it seemed our late night visitor had given up and left.

In the morning my oldest son pushed us to get moving early, and hustle on to Botanical Beach’s famous tide pools. After an easy 8 km hike, much of it on boardwalks with some wooden stairs to climb up and down, we arrived at our destination before lunch. Mostly fogged in, Botanical Beach appeared as a vast moonscape with sunken pools of water in warm ochre rock. Lots of purple sea urchins populated the pools alongside the occasional sea anemone and starfish.

Our final stop before hiking out to Port Renfrew was Botany Bay. My husband and I sat on the beach while the kids explored yet more tide pools. A family of six stopped to chat. They were just about to start out on the West Coast Trail and noticed our packs on the beach. Were we just starting our hike or finishing? How did it go?

It went well.

With only a few bruises and blisters, we had made it. Everyone pitched in to help cook, wash up and pump water for drinking. When my pack was too heavy with camera gear and a tent, my 18 year old son carried the tent for me. The older boys made sure that my husband’s bear barrel was the lightest…they have young legs and backs! The younger boys, 12 and 14, did remarkably well carrying 27-30lbs on their backs. And my son’s girlfriend wasn’t scared off after roughing it for 5 days on the trail with his entire family

We celebrated with lunch on the deck at the Port Renfrew Hotel. It was a wonderful feast of calamari and halibut washed down with a few glasses of beer. Riding home on the shuttle with the other hikers, we shared our stories.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” Emerson

The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

In 1889 a telegraph line was hacked out of the wilderness along the west coast of Vancouver Island connecting Victoria to Bamfield. Later it was used as a lifesaving trail for survivors of the many shipwrecks that plagued the rough coast. In the 1960′s Sierra Club members began to hike the rugged trail and lobbied the government to preserve the area for recreational use. The West Coast Trail was established as part of the Pacific Rim National Park in 1993. A southern extension, the 47km Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was added in 1995 in response to the increased demand for wilderness hiking opportunities.

The Juan de Fuca Trail connects China Beach, about an hour up the coast from Victoria, to Botanical Beach just outside of Port Renfrew. Not as remote as the WCT, some of the beaches, Sombrio and Botanical, attract day-trippers while others, Chin and Bear, are inaccessible from the highway. Wilderness campsites, pit toilets and bear caches are provided for hikers, but all food must be packed in and fresh water pumped or treated. Botanical Beach is widely appreciated for its tide pools caused by erosion in the sandstone, conglomerate and shale rock. Anemones, coralline algae, sea urchins and starfish populate the potholes and concretions. Sombrio Beach attracts surfers to its wide sandy expanse. The portion between Bear Beach and Chin Beach is the most difficult with many changes in elevation up over the headlands.

On the trail hikers may see Gray whales, orcas, seal lions, harbour seals, Steller sea lions and a variety of shellfish like mussels and crab. Deer, black bears, cougars, squirrels, raccoons and mink roam the forest. Eagles, loons, mergansers, gulls and marbled murrelets may also be seen. The area is a temperate rainforest with soaring Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar and Sitka spruce, along with some deciduous trees like red alder and maple. The forest floor is thick with salal, salmonberry, huckleberry, thimbleberry, wild blackberry, ferns, and mosses. Sea palm, a type of seaweed, can be seen washed up along the shore.

The southwest coast of Vancouver Island is the traditional home to four first nations peoples; the Pacheenaht, the Ditidaht, the Huu-Ay-Aht and the T’souke. They are part of the Nuu-chah-nulth language group and have reserve lands along the trail.

Every year more than 10,000 people are drawn to Vancouver Island’s west coast trails to enjoy the wilderness experience. This adventure tourism contributes to the economies of Port Renfrew, Port Alberni and Bamfield. But there is still an ongoing struggle to balance logging demands with the need for conservation, recreation and sacred places. These photos document the varied coastline along the trail- mist, tall trees, eroded cliffs, boulders, stones, sand and water for miles. There is a feeling of both isolation and wonder when standing ‘at the edge of the world’.

Leadem , Tim. The West Coast Trail and Other Great Hikes. Vancouver: Greystone Books, 1998

Land’s End

These photos document the varied coastline along the Juan de Fuca Trail on Vancouver Island-a journey to Lands End where the crust of the earth meets the ocean.

Bear Beach1

Botany Bay

Botanical Beach 3

China Beach

Bear Beach 3

Camping on the beach

Cliff along China beach

Conglomerate Shelf

Driftwood on Bear Beach

Hidden Waterfall

Nature’s Carpet

Reflecting Pool

Sombrio to Payzant

Gold Coast

Port Renfrew Wharf

Sunset on Sombrio Beach

Balance

Focus

Affinity

For pricing contact my e-mail address on this site.

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‘Memories’ at the Foyer Gallery

by janice on October 25, 2011

The new show at the Foyer Gallery for the month of November is entitled ‘Memories’. Whether they be of trips taken, special places or intimate personal moments…we all have our own memories. Painting, photography, mixed media and sculpture are used to visually reflect on these reminders from the past.

We can preserve the past and we can document the past…sometimes we can do both. Sometimes all we have left are memories in the form of pictures, stories and the things that remain. The two photos that I have entered into this show are b/w images from New Orleans.

The first image is from the Louis Adam House, part of the Historical New Orleans Collection.

‘The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region.’

Built in 1788, it has certainly seen its share of history. But one particular moment in the past that I imagine when looking at this example of traditional New Orleans architecture is of a young Tennessee Williams running up the stairs to his room in the garret above. The structure remains and so does its past, maybe even a few ghosts.

‘In the 1930s, the house was opened to boarders and for a short time a young playwright—Tennessee Williams—lived high up in a garret room.’

The title of the photo is… ‘Searching for Tennessee Williams’.

The next image was taken along the Mississippi River…on the Moonwalk…a pedestrian walkway fronting Jackson Square.

Already hot…it was early Saturday morning and he had staked himself a spot at the top of the stairs. We walked past to gaze out at the great Mississippi River, our last look before we left for home. A smooth operator, honed no doubt from many years of experience, this disarming dapper older gentleman in a seersucker suit and straw hat, boldly approached us and sang to me…Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?

This…‘is a song written by Eddie DeLange and Louis Alter, which was first heard in the movie New Orleans in 1947, where it was performed by Louis Armstrong and sung by Billie Holiday.’ Wikipedia

I was charmed. His name was T.S. Lark and he told us that he has been playing for 50 years, first trumpet and now saxophone. We thanked him for the impromptu serenade and bought his cd. Someday he will no longer be sitting on the banks of the Mississippi playing for tourists, but I will have a picture to remember him and that hot sunny Saturday morning in New Orleans. He is as much apart of the story of this city as the attractive older buildings that line the streets of the French Quarter.

The title of the photo is…‘Missing New Orleans’.

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New Orleans, a southern charmer

by janice on October 25, 2011

My husband and I celebrated out 25th wedding anniversary this past August. We wanted to go somewhere fun and interesting. Visiting New Orleans has long been on my travel ‘to do’ list, so when an exchange was available with our timeshare, I jumped on it. Narrow streets with French names, old Spanish architecture, Creole and French restaurants, shops full of old French antiques, art galleries and music…this fascinating city is often described as a ‘foreign county within the United States’.

Having both taken a ‘history of jazz’ course in university, we were eager to take in as much music as we could over the week. The local paper, the Times Picayune, lists the numerous musical venues open every night… soul and R and B and funk and rock and jazz and many more. Music is everywhere… in clubs on Bourbon St and Frenchman St and elsewhere in the city, on street corners during the day and especially at night. Some of our favourite venues were Snug Harbour and D.B A on Frenchman St, and for that New York cabaret vibe…Irvin Mayfield’s Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon St. But whether it was old time jazz at Preservation Hall, a tight trio of piano, drums, clarinet and saxophone, R and B vocals, a full on jazz orchestra, some trumpet pyrotechnics and amazing jazz vocals, a Sunday brunch trio or a little country Cajun music at Tipitina’s… we loved it all. We didn’t have time to take in the famous House of Blues, hey, next time. The atmosphere was friendly and intimate with enthusiastic appreciative audiences. Older musicians mentored younger musicians. Many impromptu performances happened on street corners featuring small groups , teen jazz bands and solo artists.

The premier US city for Mardi Gras, this city likes to dress up and have a party. The Presbytere beside St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, has a colourful exhibition about the history of Mardi Gras both in New Orleans and in the outlying Cajun country. Another very informative exhibition explains the events of Hurricane Katrina and some of the reasons the levees failed. An intimate photographic exhibit by Thomas Neff entitled ‘Holding Out and Hanging On’ depicts some of the people of New Orleans and their personal experiences of Katrina. The party atmosphere out on the street is tinged with reminders of the suffering the people of New Orleans experienced and the ongoing struggle to rebuild their city. One taxi driver told us that half of the residents have never come back…no homes to return to, no jobs and no longer willing to risk another disaster. We didn’t visit any of the areas hard hit by the hurricane. Post Katrina, a musicians village was built to encourage the musicians to stay in New Orleans.

…conceived by New Orleans natives Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis, Musicians’ Village will provide a home for both the artists who have defined the city’s culture and the sounds that have shaped the musical vernacular of the world.

Without it’s music, New Orleans is a city without it’s soul.

Much admired for it’s colourful pastel architecture with ornate iron balconies often covered with a profusion of flowers and vines, New Orleans is also renowned for its colourful inhabitants both past and present…pirates, voodoo priestesses, gamblers and fancy women, playwrights and American literary giants, tarot card readers, palm readers with crystal balls, world class musicians, street performers and artists. Where voodoo is both a tourist attraction and a living religion with its own temple, this blending of cultures and religions…Spanish, French, American, Caribbean and African…creates a lively brew of the formal and elegant, the relaxed and raw. With a central square for walking and meeting others, the warm climate and old European vibe encourages people to come out at night to eat, dance and listen to great music.

Wandering the cobbled streets during the day provides a myriad of eating and shopping opportunities. Two favourites were the Antieau Gallery with its wonderfully clever and humorous textile pieces, and Cafe Baby with images created using the artist’s own unique set of symbols, a twist on the usual interpretation. A Gallery for Fine Photography had an amazing collection of old and new celebrated photographers…Ansell Adams, Cartier-Bresson and Sebastian Salgado…a real treat. One afternoon we escaped from the heat into the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in the Business district. This handsome modern building showcases painters, photographers, glass artists and ‘outsider’ art from the south. I particularly enjoyed the ‘colourful creatures’ of artist O.L Samuels.

New Orleans is also a mecca for food lovers. Sunday brunch at Arnaud’s, breakfast at the Camellia Grill, beignets at Cafe du Monde, dinner at K-Paul’s and Sylvain’s were among our many delicious dining experiences. Po’boys, shrimp remoulade, oysters, alligator sausage and some mighty fine cocktails were consumed throughout the week. New Orleans is after all famous for it’s cocktails. We sampled the Sazerac and Pimm’s Cup…but left the Hurricane and Hand Grenade for the Bourbon St. crowd.

Now you can’t visit the south without hearing that ubiquitous southern phrase ‘y’all’. There is a nice definition of ‘y’all’ in the Economist comparing this phrase particular to the American south to the New York phrase ‘youse guys’ and the more English phrase ‘you lot’. I think y’all has a softer gentler tone to it. It is inclusive and welcoming like the southern hospitality we enjoyed, a metaphor for southern charm and grace. Another local phrase we heard many times over the week was ‘lagniappe’. According to Wikipedia:

…from the old Spanish phrase… la ñapa ‘something that is added’…a lagniappe is a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase such as a baker’s dozen or 13th bun, or more broadly… "something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure." The word is chiefly used in the Gulf Coast of the US, especially Louisiana.

Like the old world manners and charming formality in the restaurants, this old custom has become a gracious gesture…a little something extra such as the very much appreciated hand fan we received at one shop. Experiencing an August heat wave, the temperature soared to 97F with high humidity… we were dripping most of the time. The locals carried a small cloth with them to mop the sweat from their brow. It felt very much like Tennessee Williams’… ‘A Streetcar named Desire’.

Time slows down in warm climates…waiters don’t push you to order quickly… people take the time to chew the fat. There are many stories to tell …both imagined and real…in an old city like New Orleans. When you slow down to appreciate the diversity of life and the amazing and unique people around you… ‘y’all get a little something extra’. Perhaps that is part of the charm of New Orleans.

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Foyer Gallery Show

by janice on September 13, 2011

I have just recently joined the Foyer Gallery at the Nepean Sportsplex in Ottawa. The current show is a group photography show. I am exhibiting four new images from the Bruce Peninsula. This scenic finger of land stretching into Georgian Bay is the final leg of the Bruce Trail system that begins in Niagara and continues up to Tobermory. The portions of the trail on the Bruce Peninsula are some of the most spectacular.

The layers of sedimentary rock are the remains of what was once an ancient seabed. The clear water is an unbelievable shade of turquoise, just like the Caribbean…only about 20 degrees cooler! Don’t swim, just look. It really is stunning.

My mum at 88 isn’t quite up to hiking the shoreline so we took her on a sunset cruise to see some of the spectacular coastline. Cruising back into the harbour at Tobermory we were treated to a beautiful sunset. Some things just are better on the water.

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NFAL Gallery solo show

by janice on June 13, 2011

One of the benefits of membership in the Nepean Fine Arts League is the opportunity to participate in a group or solo show at the NFAL Gallery. My turn has come up and from June 10 to 30, I am having a solo show of my mixed media textiles at the NFAL Gallery.

These small fibre works are made in the folk art tradition combining various materials with simple imagery to create whimsical depictions of common themes. The framed size with double matt and glass is 10″ x 10″. They are all unique ‘one of a kind’ pieces available for $75 each.

They are perfect for a child’s bedroom and can be combined as a set of 4 or 6 for greater impact on the wall. I really enjoy creating these small images and love the textures of all the different materials.

Some for little boys.