Art Tahsis Residency 2019

In June of 2019 I was invited by sculptor Troy Moth to do an artist’s residency at Art Tahsis, a 186-acre creative campus in the remote village of Tahsis in Nootka Sound. Troy, his partner Celine, and the other co-owners have worked for years to transform this former logging camp into a farm, homestead, and artistic hub. I focused on refining earth pigments from around the farm into watercolour paints, and worked on a large woven piece.

My co-pilot Pisco, ready for the 7 hour drive from Victoria!

A waterfall on the side of the Tahsis road.

Evening on Tahsis Inlet.

My sunny workspace at the window of the studio barn: a view that has quickly risen to one of my favourites in the world.

Piles of logging camp trash. The former owners of the property left a ton of dilapidated buildings, abandoned equipment, and piles of trash. Troy and the others have been slowly picking through this stuff and getting rid of most of it, turning the interesting pieces into art.

Loup surveys the beach as we collect marsh samphire for dinner.

Some earth pigment studies of therianthropic figures.

A moody morning on the inlet.

Made some drawing charcoal by charring salmonberry twigs in an old tin. They have a lovely warm grey tone to them when applied to paper.

Sweet new babies at the farm.

Some bird people done in earth pigments.

This poor Rufous hummingbird flew into the studio and got all stressed out, bumping into windows. It took me about 20 minutes to capture her and let her go outside, but not before she cussed me out with everything she had!

Foggy afternoons at the workspace. The inlet is constantly changing and providing a rich source of inspiration.

Progress on the woven work. I actually ended up dismantling the piece after arriving at home, due to the red slung section not ending up the way I wanted it to.

Taking a lake break on an especially hot, dusty day.

Beginning the process of turning this cedar cookie into a hall table/altar.

The legs are scavenged young alder with the bark carved off. Alder grows in abundance all over cut blocks.

Got myself good with the hook knife.

Sawed off a portion of the cookie so the tabletop could sit against the wall.

Sawing the terminals off an elk femur to set into the surface of the table.

The completed altar table. Red cedar top, alder legs, elk bone details.

“Hey Simone, turn around so we can take a picture!”

“OK but I’m not putting these rocks down.”

Some promising pigment stones from the top of the lookout.