Newsletter #212: October, 2024
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved

 

Influence and Inspiration

A Conversation with Tom Thompson

This newsletter article was spurred by a recent visit to the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, BC which featured the largest retrospective of the iconic Canadian painter Tom Thompson.

Titled Tom Thompson: North Star, the exhibit contained 133 sketches and paintings – the largest number ever displayed in a single setting. As a forerunner of the Group of Seven, his painting techniques have shaped the way Canadians view our Canadian landscape.

An expression of wind and colour by Tom Thompson

Tom Thompson certainly has been an inspiration for me, especially during the past seven years when my work has emphasised the exploration of photographic technique and artistic expression.

Around the time of our 2017 forest fire, when Rita and I were asked to evacuate our home, I pulled a book off my shelve that my father had given me years ago. It was titled Tom Thompson: The Silence and the Storm.

An expression of big weather and big sky by Tom Thompson

What struck me most was Thompson’s interest in big skies and big weather; especially his cloud studies which included dramatic colour and the effects of wind. He was a true colourist. These paintings, which coincided with the smoke and flame-filled skies I was experiencing, inspired me to begin a photographic study of my own. I called that project ‘forest fire skies’.

Thompson’s paintings inspired and encouraged me, not only to emphasise movement, but he gave me permission to paint my skies with any colour I wished. If painters could be colourists, why not photographers?

Wildfire of 2017

As the wildfire of 2017 approached our home, it was both life-threatening and inspirational at the same time. It encouraged me to capture emotions; feelings such as those I was experiencing when I made this image.

 

I’d like to share a few of my ‘forest fire skies’.

The images are all made within the spirit of investigative expression; experimental and imaginative. They are not made to describe the appearance of reality, but rather, to capture abstract feelings of emotion.

Each capture was made within the technical limitations of my camera; they were also made with the visual ingredients in my immediate surroundings. There is no post-production techniques involved.

These are images of the imagination designed to evoke the real-world feelings I experienced with wildfire.

Forest fire sky I

Forest fire sky II

Forest fire sky III

Forest fire sky IV

Forest fire sky V

Forest fire sky VI

Forest fire sky VII

Forest fire sky VIII

Forest fire sky IX

Forest fire sky X

Forest fire sky XI

Forest fire sky XII

Forest fire sky XIII

 

Four hundred kilometers along a major highway

In my previous Newsletter, I wrote an article titled Thirty kilometers along a back country road and included 29 images describing my journey. During the last two weeks I made two 400 km photographic road trips to change up my visual vibe. Each was a circular route originating at my home; each in a different direction. I’d like to share a few images from both trips.

 

Trip I:   Home > Lillooet > Lytton > home (440 km)

While driving south toward Cache Creek on Hwy 97, I turned SW on Hwy 99 toward Lillooet. This section of the highway lies high above the Fraser River canyon and has been under repair for decades due to continuous landslides. The bottom right of the image shows that after years of engineering work, the road has finally been repaired, and paved! The old BC rail line and tunnel are shown above the highway.

Directly below the previous image lies the Fraser River canyon.

As I was making the above two images, I realized that these bighorn sheep were watching me!

Below the highway and above the Fraser River was an ancient bench-land where hay had just been cut. I was attracted mostly to line, shape, and texture.

By photographing the above hay field from different perspectives, I created a new and more abstract pattern.

Below where I was driving and across the Fraser River canyon, was a branch road which winds it way through the Bridge River canyon.

After charging my EV car in Lillooet, I headed east on highway 12 towards Lytton; once again, high above the Fraser River canyon.

Before reaching Lytton, I passed through a beautiful Ponderosa pine forest. With camera in hand, I went for a quiet walk.

Forest expression.

Ponderosa pine abstract.

I passed through the town of Lytton which had been completely destroyed by the wildfire of 2021.  I then headed north towards home, high above the Thompson River. In this panorama, you can see the CP and CN railway lines which follow the contour of the river.

As luck would have it, a freight train rumbled into view as I was making this composition.  As you can imagine, rock avalanches happen frequently along this line.

The black coal cars, fir trees, and the Thompson River provided me with both tonal and colour contrast.

This abstraction shows a rail line passing through a forest landscape burnt in a recent wildfire. The colour green shows that regeneration has begun.

This is a road trip I make every few years to maintain my sense of place within the region where I live. I made it home well after dark!

 

Trip II:    Home > Cache Creek > Kamloops > Little Fort > home (450 km)

Approaching Cache Creek along Hwy. 97.

While travelling east along the Trans Canada Highway towards Kamloops I decided to turn left and explore a side-road; Deadman Vidette Road. It suddenly felt quiet; no traffic, a few ranches, and local First Nation. It was also apparent that a recent glacier had carved out this valley through an ancient volcanic landscape; it was stunning.

The volcanic cliffs were within stones throw of the road. I stopped frequently

Post glacial erosion

Single tree

Single tree II

Initially drawn by implied triangles, I marvelled at the colours, textures, and contrast.

An astonishing assortment of visual elements below a burnt forest.

I spent most of my day in this valley, marvelling at what I had never seen before.

Compared to the 30km photographic road trip I referred to above, these two 400km road trips put a very different light on my preferred photographic path and process. By travelling less and seeing more, the images I made and shared in my previous Newsletter were very different in content, depth, and style.

 

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