Verdure Abstraction - Parts I, II and III, is an art project shaped by the raw, searing legacy of the 2024 Jasper Wildfire Complex, a wildfire that devastated one third of our community leaving a trail of human displacement, separation from friends and neighbours and damaged lives in its wake. Creating these was both cathartic and complicated, stirring not just memories but also deep questions about how we, collectively and individually, carry the imprint of such a traumatic event.
Layering scorched landscapes and fragile regrowth in charcoal, ink, gouache and actual flame (sfumato), I found myself grappling with a persistent question: At what point does remembrance become a barrier to healing, and when does letting go risk forgetting the lessons etched in smoke, flame and recovery?
My community holds different perspectives. Some feel that immortalizing the wildfire through art and creative expression reopens wounds hindering the natural process of moving forward and acting as a trigger rather than a salve. Others believe that keeping the memory alive through art is vital—not to anchor ourselves in sorrow, but to honour the experience, to learn, and acknowledge how profoundly the event has shaped us.
Art, I realize, occupies a unique space in this tension. It doesn’t dictate how to feel or prescribe a timeline for healing. Instead, it reflects, questions, and sometimes challenges. Verdure Abstraction isn’t just about depicting the wildfire’s devastation; it is about exploring resilience, the fragile beauty of regrowth, and the complex intertwining of loss and hope.
In sharing this series, I hope to invite dialogue—not just about the wildfire itself, but about our varied paths to healing and remembrance. Maybe it’s not about finding the right time to let go, but respecting the diverse ways we each navigate the embers of memory.
Verdure Abstraction Parts I, II & 3 will soon be part of a Fire Recovery travelling exhibition coordinated by TREX Northwest, a subsidiary of the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie. Between 2026-2028 this exhibition will be a unique display of artwork by artists who have been affected by forest fires across Alberta.
