A Movie Night with My Dad at VIFF: The Art of Adventure

There’s something really special about going to a film festival screening—especially at the VIFF Centre in downtown Vancouver. My dad and I recently went to see The Art of Adventure, and even before the film began, the experience itself felt inspiring. The theater was intimate and cozy, filled with people who genuinely love film, storytelling, art, and culture. It felt personal in the best way.

The 90-minute documentary follows the lifelong friendship of celebrated Canadian wildlife artist Robert Bateman and biologist Bristol Foster, beginning with an extraordinary trip they took together in their twenties. In 1957–58, they traveled more than 14,000 kilometres across Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia in a rugged Land Rover nicknamed “The Grizzly Torque”.

What struck me most about the film wasn’t just the adventure itself—though the vintage footage and stories were incredible—it was the humanity behind it all.

Like many Canadians, I already knew Robert Bateman as a highly respected wildlife painter. But truthfully, I didn’t know much about him personally. Seeing the archival footage of him as a young man traveling the world with his best friend made him suddenly feel deeply relatable and human. Their friendship was tender, funny, adventurous, and grounded in a genuine love of nature and curiosity about the world.

There was one moment in the documentary that especially stayed with me. During interviews, Bateman’s children mentioned that his work is not included in the National Gallery of Canada collection. Honestly, I found that shocking. Considering not only the artistic legacy he’s created, but also the enormous impact he and Bristol Foster have had on environmental awareness and conservation in Canada, it feels like a profound oversight.

The film beautifully highlighted how much both men contributed to protecting ecological areas, educating the public, and inspiring reverence for the natural world. Those themes deeply resonate with me personally. As someone who feels continually nourished and inspired by nature—and who creates artwork rooted in connection, grounding, and well-being—I found myself unexpectedly moved throughout the film.

What shifted for me afterward was a much deeper respect for Robert Bateman, not just as an artist, but as a human being. And honestly, sharing the experience with my dad made the evening even more meaningful.

If you love art, nature, travel, environmental storytelling, or films that leave you feeling more connected to life itself, I'd absolutely recommend checking out The Art of Adventure. You can watch the official trailer on YouTube or read this thoughtful review in the Vancouver Sun for a deeper dive into their story.

Visiting Fishhead Studio on Gabriola Island

Recently I had the privilege and joy of visiting Fishhead Studio here on Gabriola Island with our current artist in residence, Cassandra Myers.

Fishhead Studio is the creative world of Dave and Tammie Hennigar—two incredibly welcoming artists whose work spans sculpture, lighting, folk art, painting, reclaimed objects, driftwood, concrete, mixed media, and beautifully inventive found-material creations. Their studio is filled with imagination, humour, texture, craftsmanship, and a true spirit of experimentation.

From the moment we arrived, it felt less like entering a gallery and more like stepping into an extension of their creative lives.

What I especially loved was hearing stories about their years living and homesteading in the Yukon. There was something deeply grounding and inspiring about listening to artists who have built such an expansive creative practice through curiosity, resourcefulness, and hands-on exploration.

We had wonderful conversations about sculpture, materials, making art, and the process of simply figuring things out as you go.

One of my favourite parts of being an artist is that moment of not fully knowing how something will come together—and realizing that discovery itself is part of the art form. Dave and Tammie embody that beautifully. Their work carries a sense of play, experimentation, and trust in the creative process.

I also loved seeing how reclaimed materials and found objects become transformed in their hands. Old wood, metal, fishing gear, driftwood, and salvaged objects become whimsical sculptures and thoughtful works filled with story and character.

These are such beautiful people, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to visit, connect, and spend time in their creative space.

Thank you Dave and Tammie for your generosity, conversation, and inspiration. If you’re visiting Gabriola Island, Fishhead Studio is absolutely worth experiencing!

Fishhead Studio
2515 Coho Drive
Gabriola, BC Canada V0R 1X7
250-327-1503
fishheadstudio.ca@gmail.com
Follow their work on Instagram and Facebook.

A Hidden Gem in Dunbar: Discovering Mónica Reyes Gallery

While visiting Vancouver in May, I had one of those wonderful little unexpected moments that remind me why I love wandering and staying open to surprise.

I was driving back from an outing when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a gallery I had somehow never noticed before. Tucked quietly into the Dunbar neighbourhood, it almost felt hidden away—understated, elegant, and quietly calling me in.

So naturally… I pulled the car over immediately.

As luck would have it, the gallery was just closing. But gallerist Mónica Reyes graciously stayed open for a few extra moments and warmly invited me in to enjoy the current exhibition. Those small acts of generosity and openness always stay with me.

The Exhibition

Stepping into the gallery, I took in the exhibit of Vancouver artist Julia Soderholm, whose work I found incredibly refreshing.

The paintings feel deeply rooted in observation of the natural world while remaining abstract and intuitive. Colour, gesture, movement, atmosphere, and memory all seem to coexist within the work. I especially loved the way certain pieces evoked landscape without ever becoming literal—moments of sky, water, trees, light, and distance all hinted at through layered marks and luminous colour relationships.

There’s a looseness and confidence in Julia’s paintings that I really appreciated. The work feels alive. Spacious. Unforced.

A few paintings in particular pulled me in—especially the larger works with saturated blues, greens, violets, and soft chartreuse passages that seemed to vibrate against one another. The paintings carried that beautiful balance between structure and intuition that I’m always so drawn to in abstract painting.

I also loved the scale and simplicity of the gallery itself. Clean white walls, beautiful natural light, and enough breathing room for the paintings to really speak.

If you’re in Vancouver and love contemporary abstract art, I highly recommend stopping in.

Exhibition Details

The day comes with a colour
Paintings by Julia Soderholm
May 14 – June 27, 2026

About the Artist Currently on Exhibit

Julia Soderholm is a Vancouver-based painter currently completing her MFA at Emily Carr University. Her work explores abstraction and landscape through layered paint, gesture, memory, and colour. The paintings invite viewers into a kind of re-enchantment with the natural world — something I could absolutely feel while standing in the gallery.

Gallery Information

Mónica Reyes Gallery
2895 West 33rd Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6N 2G3
604-339-2096
Instagram: @monicareyesgallery

Gallery Hours
Wed–Sat 11 AM–3 PM

Celebrating Creativity: Gabriola Island Studio Tour 2025

Deb & Deb together at Deb Dallyn’s open studio, October 2025

I had the joy of visiting many wonderful studios open during this year’s Gabriola Island Studio Tour 2025.

Every Thanksgiving weekend, our island comes alive with color, creativity, and connection as over 60 artists open their doors, sharing their processes and stories with visitors from near and far.

This year, one of my favourite artists to visit was assemblage artist Deborah Dallyn, whose work defies easy categorization.

Her art is at once playful, profound, and deeply human—each piece revealing the poetry in found materials thoughtfully transformed into sculpture. There’s something whimsical yet timeless in her creative voice that truly resonates with me.

Deb Dallyn standing beside my favourite Piece of hers.

My favourite artwork on display this year was a framed white circular piece combining paint, rocks, and wood—absolutely gorgeous. (See above photo.)

I also loved her moving flag installation—a kinetic larger scale work full of movement and spirit—and her tall, colorful wooden sculpture inscribed “A True Radical Makes Hope Possible” (see below), standing proudly over five feet tall. Fantastic!

Beyond her studio, Deborah is also the creator of the acclaimed public art installation Rite of Passage, located here on Gabriola Island. You can learn more about that project and her community contribution here.

If you’re interested in learning more about Deborah’s work or inquiring about collecting her art, I highly encourage you to connect with her directly through the Gabriola Arts Council Artist Directory.