Local Artists Share Their Passion For Nature

Jill Paris Rody and Carole Goodwin are both long-time Campbell River fixtures in the local art scene and their joint exhibition at the Tidemark Theatre showcases their love for the local landscape and the wonders of the natural world that surround us here on the mid-north Island.

“The diverse beauty of the island has given me a deep appreciation for the bright colours and magnificent scenery that I am privileged to see every day,” Goodwin says. “When I paint I look for a spiritual connection to my subject, as I desire to feel the oneness of nature and acknowledge my connectedness to it. Sometimes I do this through writing or meditative stillness, which greatly adds to the emotional inspiration for my artwork.”

Goodwin says her work used to be more traditional, but she has begun exploring some new ideas of late, and is excited to show those off at the Tidemark.

“My work has evolved over time,” she says, “and today it is mostly experimental, using mixed media and acrylic. Collage, gels and other mediums are also used to create texture, which is then covered with gold or silver leaf. This gives the piece a reflective light source for the many transparent glazes used in each area of the painting.”

Paris Rody, meanwhile, takes a more traditional approach in the work she’ll be showing.

“The cycles of the seasons – such as the refreshing yellow-green of new growth on an old maple tree -catch my attention and portray a redemptive quality,” Paris Rody says. “My work is to present this and other ‘stories’ in texture, light and colour, using a minimalist palette of rich combinations.”

Drawing her artistic influence from painters like Norman Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth in her youth instilled a need in her to imbue her work with emotion, Paris Rody says, which led her to the work of the Group of Seven and Tom Thompson, whose work are very evident in their influence on her – as visitors to the Tidemark over the next while will surely see.

A Passion for Nature is on display now at the Tidemark Theatre through the end of February.