By Rosanne Dolan, Colborne Art Gallery artist and liaison
This fall at The Colborne Art Gallery features “Duets: Art and Words”, an ekphrastic show of writings and art. The gallery also welcomes guest artist Heather Myers, a Northumberland-based photographer and videographer. The show opens on September 11 and runs until November 1. A reception will be held at the gallery on Saturday, September 19 from 2 to 4 p.m.
A collaboration of 19 writers from Spirt of the Hills Art Association and 25 artworks from the Colborne Art Gallery artists presents a production of prose and poetry inspired by works of art. These creations will be presented as pairings for viewers to appreciate them as a unit.
The gallery will also showcase the calm, sensitive photographic landscapes of Heather Myers. They offer a “connection to place, to memory, to nature, and the moments that make up our lives”.
Heather was drawn to photography “because of its ability to preserve a moment and tell a story without words”. Her professional work has included portraits, weddings, lifestyle, and automotive photography. She states, “My photographic practise is rooted in observation, storytelling and an appreciation for the small moments and places that often go unnoticed.”
The development of her personal work has drawn her to landscapes, “particularly roads, fields, water, changing skies, and quiet rural spaces – places that can feel both familiar and extraordinary. She explains, “Every place has a story.” The search for “details, light, and moments that give an image its sense of meaning” is her goal. Her images seek to catch “the relationship between the natural and the human-made”. Roads, fences, buildings or vehicles “can become part of a larger landscape”.
Heather’s landscapes “are not grand or loud – they whisper”. She elaborates, “In a world where we are constantly moving, photographing a landscape gives me an opportunity to slow down – to notice the changing light, the shape of a cloud, the way a road disappears into the distance, or the quiet beauty of an ordinary field.” The sky is particularly important in these landscape reflections.
Heather declares, “My work sits at the intersection of land observation and contemporary visual journaling.” The themes in the works of this show echo “themes found in ecofeminist art-resilience, renewal, cycles, and the role of the feminine in relation to nature.”
New works by the 11 gallery artists are also on display.
The Colborne Art Gallery is located on the Apple Route at 51 King Street East, Colborne. Gallery hours are 12 to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, or by appointment.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
