As I entered Port Bickerton, I was quickly reminded that I had entered a land of waves hello from people known and unknown. For those who may not be familiar, it is often a cultural gesture of small rural communities throughout Nova Scotia to throw a courteous wave to passers by. May that be a person in passing by vehicle, a person mowing their lawn, walking along the shoulder of the road, or grabbing their mail. The methods can vary from a full arm up in the air to the smooth wrist twist with two pointed fingers. My heart felt at home to be within this community and engaging in this cultural exchange once again.
Once at the Lighthouse, there was little time for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. However, in a place so peaceful, a person does not need grand moments of designated breaks from reality because peaceful escape is ever living in this place. This land is abundant in soulful tranquility.
The routines of this space set in quickly; awake, walk, watch, paint and repeat. The days were not measured by dates and times but rather with ritual. Daily walks along the woodland, bog, and shoreline trails. Where I would find a place to sit and watch. Watching nature display her mood. From the fog draping the land with veils of pearl and smolder. Lingering as to purposefully hide her most prized treasures and secrets. Only to be revealed to those who look hard and deep enough through the curtain to discover them. The blue grey fog highlighted the depth of colors in the boggy barrens like burnt sienna, deep magenta, and golden ochre against the evergreen landscape of haunting greens, dark browns, and woody grey. Whereas on the other hand, bright sunshine accompanied energizing greens and invigorating blues in a grand show of ocean vitality and life in springtime. Including the never-ending array of sunset palettes of pastel purples and pink to fiery orange and cadmium yellow. I found myself not chasing the bright environmental conditions but found myself being pulled into the distinct allure that each presentation uniquely displayed. Being filled with fascination, curiosity, and appreciation.
The moments of “watching” where about the Art of Noticing. Noticing the lichen on the trees, the dance in the branches, the repetition of waves, the fluttering of wings, the hint of salt in the air, the light and shadow of the dense forest, and the life that lives behind the silence. The practice of mindfulness and grounding oneself the to land. This involved leaving distraction, expectations, and assumptions in a different place; far away from the moment. Allowing space to experience the sensations of this land externally and internally. In turn, giving raw opportunity to be inspired and ignited by this place.
I took inspiration from this land’s natural features, colors, lighting, and of course, birds. Every walk included watching the beautiful diversity of birds who are either passing through or call this place home. I received countless moments of interaction with a variety of birds. Too many to list them all. These glimpses and interactions are what created the main theme for my depictions during the residency program. To capture the existence and character of the birds within the habitat and to demonstrate the feeling that their presence gives to the environment here. All the bird paintings completed during the residency, were of birds that I was able to observe during my time here. My only regret, not having enough time to paint them all.
To engage in the painting portion of the residency, I had to make quick work to repurpose the space within the lighthouse keeper’s home to become an efficient studio. The living room was dramatically rearranged. The kitchen table no longer for eating but for prep work. The coffee table became a paint chart. The fridge became my palette storage. The easel repositioned to sit in the natural sunlight with the old lighthouse seemingly peering over my shoulder to gaze at my work. These are the conditions that allowed me to spend boundless hours with brush in hand and focus on the canvas. It felt like I could be in this place painting endlessly. However, as irony would have it, time deceived me and before I knew it, the two-week residency was over in the blink of an eye.
In final words, I would like to sincerely thank the Port Bickerton Lighthouse Association for awarding me this opportunity, to Gallery 17 for supporting and hosting the exhibition, to those who supported and engaged in the community events, and to this community for accepting and holding generations of my family before me. As it is not lost on me that it was my ancestors, who stood strong through the beautiful yet harsh realities of this rugged place so that a later generation could have the chance to pursue the arts and return to this land to engage and celebrate with creative expression.
Artworks Created during the Artist Residency
Click the images for titles, dimensions, and medium.
Small Studies created during the Artist Residency
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Port Bickerton Lighthouse Gift Shop
Currently available at the Port Bickerton Lighthouse gift shop are the following pieces (while quantities last):
| Title | Size | Medium |
| Dandelion Light (Study) | 6×6 | Acrylic on Canvas |
| Buoy Marks the Spot (Study) | 6×6 | Acrylic on Canvas |
| New and Old | 5×7 and 8×10 | Archival Art Print |
| Path to the Light | 5×7 and 8×10 | Archival Art Print |
| Wavelets and Willets | 5×7 | Archival Art Print |
| Morning Song | 5×5 | Archival Art Print |
| Boreal | 5×5 | Archival Art Print |
| Magnolia in the Deadwood | 5×7 | Archival Art Print |
Visit the Port Bickerton Lighthouse Gift Shop at 408 Lighthouse Rd, Port Bickerton from July 1 – Sept 30 annually or contact the Port Bickerton Lighthouse via Contact – Port Bickerton Lighthouse Association for more information and purchase process.
Photos
Information about Port Bickerton Lighthouse Residency Program
If you are an artist and are interested in the opportunity of this artist residency program, you are strongly encouraged to explore the residency description, requirements, and application process at ‘Call to Artists’ Residency Application | Port Bickerton Lighthouse Association .
Heidi Holloway Art 
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