Residency: Island Mountain Arts, Wells, BC

In August 2025, I was invited to join the Broken Forests art collective and participate in a ten day residency with Island Mountain Arts in Wells, BC. The residency was titled Actions Supporting Forests and focused on discussion and process without the expectation of creating finished works. Participating artists shared their artistic processes, notions around activism, and how these help to form connections with the forest. Workshops, discussions, and site visits focussed on creating art in nature; engaging in meaningful dialogue to promote better practices in extraction industries that affect the forest; and supporting one another in our artistic activities.

During my time with the Broken Forests group, I was grateful to explore an inland old growth forest, the vast expanse of the Antler Creek wildfire area, and nearby clearcuts. We were also fortunate to meet with Lhtako and Nazko First Nations knowledge keepers who helped deepen our understanding of their peoples’ historical and present relationships with the land and waters of the region.