A new exhibit featuring art inspired by a trip across Canada in 2022 is on display at the Art House gallery in Hagensborg until Aug. 4.
Bella Coola artist Kathleen Booth set out to attend her stepdaughter’s wedding and planned to visit family in Quebec, making sure to bring art supplies for her journey.
Some of her plans changed by the time she reached Saskatchewan because she developed a sinus cold and tested positive for COVID-19.
Unable to walk her stepdaughter down the aisle, she greeted her by socially distancing in a parking lot.
She then decided she might as well extend the drive and go all the way to Nova Scotia, which she did.
By the time she returned home to Bella Coola she had driven 17,000 kilometres and made many sketches, some paintings and collected items for multimedia creations.
Calling the art show Canadian Impressions - 17,000 kms, Booth said it is the first release of pieces inspired by the trip.
While camping in Nova Scotia, Booth ran into someone from Bella Coola.
She was walking when she heard someone call her name.
As she turned around she realized it was Alannah Stewart, a primary special education teacher at Acwalstca School.
“How random was that?” she said. “I don’t know if we could have even planned to meet up then and there.”
Growing up in Quebec, Booth graduated from high school with distinction in art. She went on to Dawson College to study graphic arts, which she discovered were not for her.
It was the time when graphic art was transitioning and computers were just coming on.
She changed her studies to creative arts in film, painting and writing.
“I really liked it all and did not have a singular focus.”
Wanting to go further she applied to Emily Carr in Vancouver, believing she would not get accepted.
To her surprise she was so she moved to Vancouver with her young son. After two years was unable to continue because of the cost of living in the Lower Mainland.
Yet, the two years she was at Emily Carr, taught her a lot about different disciplines.
In 1994, she moved to Winnipeg because real estate was affordable and became a real estate agent.
After a series of unfortunate events, such as having her vehicle stolen and the house she was living in catch on fire, she left real estate and went to work for a snowmobile and ATV company. She managed the parts department and being bilingual was an asset because the company had some clients who spoke French.
Twelve years ago she moved to Bella Coola.
She runs a little art and regalia making supply corner in a building in Bella Coola that is also residential, she said.
The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and located at 1961 Highway 20 in Hagensborg.
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monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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