August 2026
The Arts and Words Festival in Gibsons last weekend was amazing. An artist and an author paired in February where names were draw from a hat to match the artist and author. They collaborated during the spring to produce a work for this show. That meant all the works were original and the result of discussion between the author and the artist. The collaboration took many forms, and interviews with the pairs took place over three days at the festival, so we in the audience could understand how the work on display was conceived and executed. The artist matched with me was Michelle Nielsen Art & Words Festival — Art by Michelle Neilson. Her lenticular painting depicting the different stages of Florence Wilson’s life will be on display with the rest of the show at the Gibsons Public Library for the month of September. Three firsts were awarded in each book contest category. Bloomsbury to Barkerville and two others: When the Forest Breaths by Suzanne Simard and Where the Earth Meets the Sky by Louise K. Blight won in the creative non-fiction category, so that was an honour.
I am excited about travelling to Barkerville on the Labour Day weekend. My hosts are managers of the Museum and Gift shop in Barkerville. I look forward to meeting many people who are interested in the life of the residents of Barkerville in the Gold Rush days, especially Florence Wilson. She lived in Barkerville and area from 1864 to 1874, but she was highly influential while she was there—as an entrepreneur, a theatre producer, a librarian and an actor. She is celebrated on the streets of Barkerville today. It will be great to be back in the Cariboo.
I also enjoyed my time with the BC Writers of BC History. They arranged a book signing for many of us at Coles Books in Lougheed Mall. It was fun to talk with readers and participate in the celebration of BC History.
The tree frogs have been croaking in the evening for three weeks now, hurrying fall along. It is cooler this week, and we have had rain. Lovely rain. We also had the longest and most spectacular thunder and lightning storm I’ve ever experienced. Instead of the usual ten to fifteen minutes, it went on for about four hours. Truly phenomenal.
