The Comox Valley Photographic Society (CVPS) has teamed up with Rhodos Coffee and Project Watershed to showcase images of the K’ómoks Estuary in support of the efforts to purchase and restore Kus-kus-sum.
The photographs are part of a larger project called A Year in the Estuary that the photographic society started this summer and will complete next year.
The images will portray the estuary, its beauty and ecology as seasons change. The summer/fall component of this project will be displayed at Rhodos from Oct. 29 until Nov. 30. The images will be framed or printed on canvas and available for purchase online.
“It will be interesting to see how the ten and CVPS photographers interpret how they visualize the estuary over the span of a year,” said Norm Prince, CVPS organizer of the project.
“Many of the photographers are having a difficult time choosing only two images for the first part of this exhibition, and a few are still shooting with only a week remaining before the opening night.”
The photographers are donating their time and energy to create the pieces as well as the cost of printing and framing. Rhodos is providing staff and a supervisor for opening night as well as wall space and promotion of the project.
All proceeds from this event will go towards the purchase and restoration of Kus-kus-sum.
“This is another great example of our community banding together to create a better tomorrow,” says Caila Holbrook, manager of fundraising and outreach at Project Watershed.
Opening night will be Nov. 1 with doors opening at 6:30 pm. This will be a great opportunity for people to meet some of the photographers, get an update on the Kus-kus-sum project (7 p.m.) and, of course, get first dibs on the artworks.
Tickets are $22.50 and include a drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), appetizers and desserts. The evening will include music and, in addition to the photographs, there will be a small silent auction of artworks by Ken Kirkby, Tom Thompson and Esther Sample.
This event will be the main Keeping It Living event for 2018 which aims to raise funds for and awareness about Project Watershed’s estuary projects. As well as purchasing the images people will be asked to vote for their favourite.
Winners will be selected to receive the People’s Choice Award, Artist’s Choice Award and Keeping It Living Choice Award. The Keeping It Living Choice will be the image for the 2019 campaign and used on Project Watershed’s website and other relevant media.
The Keeping it Living Campaign in 2019 will again be focused on raising funds for the Kus-kus-sum initiative. This initiative aims to unpave paradise a.k.a. purchase and restore the cement area beside the 17th Street Bridge to natural habitat.
The restored area will provide fish and wildlife habitat, help mitigate climate change, buffer against sea level rise, attenuate localized flooding, become a culturally significant landmark and provide educational and recreational opportunities.
