NIC art student finds inspiration at Baybrook

Denise Lawson, is an NIC art student in her third year Emily Carr external degree at North Island
College. Assinged the theme, ‘More Than Human, a silent conversation’ for her photography course,
she found unique inspiration at Baybrook house in Comox.

he and her art class (11 students) met and wandered around the park as a start for their project. Denise became inspired by the setting and decided to do her project on site, taking photographs of what she saw reflected in the windows of the house.

“The reflection of the landscape was in the windows,” she remarked. “The windows also reflected the presence of human beings in that environment. We are a part of the natural world – and belong together.”

She had her photos enlarged into huge and beautiful colour transparencies, ideally displayed so that the light would shine through them, like the reflections on the windows of the Baybrook house.

To obtain academic credit for her work, Denise has to display her transparencies. She envisioned displaying her art on the windows of the house itself, inside or out, so the images could be in conversation with the actual reflections. Unfortunately, she was refused permission by the Town of Comox.

Her work will instead be displayed in the George Sawchuck Gallery at the Comox Valley Art Gallery, with that of other students in her class. The show opens on December 3 at 7 pm. Other venues showing the work of her class will be the Raven Gallery and Ginger 9 Gallery.

Denise will continue to use Baybrook as the inspiration for her self-directed project, beginning January 2015.

The Mack Laing Heritage Society is proud to be able to help Denise promote her beautiful artwork, which celebrates Baybrook house and Comox Bay.

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