Saturna Island

This summer has involved more travel than usual: first London, Wales and Ireland in July, then Saturna Island for a week in August. Both trips have had an impact, each providing different visual inspiration and learning experiences. The first trip was new and exciting, the second, restful and familiar. We had spent a week on Saturna the previous year.

Saturna Island is located midway between Vancouver Island and the lower mainland, a part of the British Columbia’s Southern Gulf Islands chain. Travelling to Saturna from Vancouver, requires that you take two ferries, not straightforward, but very beautiful. The reward once you arrive, is well worth it.

I have heard Saturna described in a many ways: remote, scenic, restful, a place of healing. Perhaps the word I would choose to best encapsulate my experiences there, is magical; not the magical associated with chants, tricks, and other otherworldly things, but rather magical as it refers to “beautiful or delightful in such a way as removed from everyday life”.

We hiked, kayaked, walked by the water, climbed on rocks, and drove the windy roads. But on many occasions, we just sat and took in our surroundings. You can just be on Saturna: be yourself, and be at one, with everything that surrounds you. To use an age-old adage: it forces you to smell the roses.

I left Saturna knowing I will create a series of works based upon my experiences, a visual exploration of the island’s sense of place, and my resonance to this.

Fog Alarm Hut, Saturna Island