Moving to British Columbia - What I thought I longed for has now become a new
challenge – the beauty of solidarity was not as beautiful as I thought it would
be. However, the consistent resilience I
always prioritized in my life was making its presence. I kept looking for beauty and meaning in this
loneliness. Simplicity replaced
complexity, and through my apartment window, The Riverport Way was born – a year-long
series of capturing my backyard.
Showcasing that what might become ordinary, repetitive and meaningless
with time is, in fact, extraordinary by allowing the moments of the day to dictate
what my lens sees. The sky changes within
seconds of the clock’s hands moving, and a mood of either wonder, peace, or nostalgia
begins. The summer brightness, winter wonders,
spring hopes and fall marvels. Numerous
days throughout the year, lensing sunrise, sunsets, rain or snow.
This is one of the most intimate and heartfelt posts I’ve worked on, but it’s a story that deserves to be told, remembered and honoured. She is Mom—a beautiful soul, a true fighter, compassionate, loving, and the most selfless person I know. She also happens to be the most beautiful woman in my eyes. I still remember, as a little girl around seven, slipping on her high heels and parading around like I was already her. Little did I know, in my pretty little dress and wearing shoes that almost swallowed me whole, how fast time would pass.
She is mom - a young stroke survivor, over 7 years now since that wretched day of October, watching how she almost left us, to slowly finding miraculous strength to start moving again and carry on. Her life is different now, seemingly still. Her best companion is a white dotted dog, Steli. Steli understands her, protects her, alerts her of any door knock, or phone call, and she plays with her and keeps close.
The surrounding colourful roses, her father’s embrace, is the one image that would bring tears of joy and sadness to her eyes. How she misses her father, her mother.
She might not see the good she brings or how much she would be missed, but her tender voice, her prayers, her presence would be a loss so hard to bear. Watching her grandchildren love her, spend time with her and walk out and about brings us so much joy. The tender care she always gave, she is now receiving. She is still young, still beautiful, still worthy, hoping this post would shed a little light on that thought.
As tears pour down my cheeks, I end this post with gratitude for she is still mom, still beautiful, still worth the whole world, and maybe one day soon, I’ll have the courage to dive a little deeper into a whole series about mom.
Current images are all taken by me, the images of her youth were captured by my father. The colourful image was captured by someone unknown sometime in the late 60s, in the park of Herastrau, Bucharest, Romania.
Mom
stroke-survivor
The Gitxsan West Secondary School project in Kitwanga has been in the works for the past 10 years. This 4,000-square-metre, one-level school will serve approximately 200 First Nations students from the communities of Gitwangak, Gitsegukla, and Gitanyow.
Discussions among the Chiefs and community members of all three communities laid the foundation for this much-needed school, which will unite and benefit them all.
At an unshily $40 million price tag, the school is set to welcome around 200 students when it opens.
While Sky Windows has been the reason for my captures, Yellow Bridge Construction is the rewarded contractor, and what a beautiful rising this is.
The surrounding landscape instantly took me back to childhood summers spent in the countryside, filled with mountains, fresh air and beautiful views that are ethereal, connecting deep within one’s soul.
As I share these images, I feel a deep connection with the rich culture of the First Nations communities and their beautiful way of life. This experience has sparked new inspiration in me, encouraging a reflection on the deeper projects to come—ones that unite communities and celebrate our cultural diversity, creating a collective mural of shared experiences.
