Written by Vancouver Biennale artist Konstantin Dimopoulos who created Blue Trees

 

The flight from Australia to Vancouver was the beginning of a new adventure for both Adele and me. Making our way from Vancouver Airport to Squamish was like entering a time portal where the Sea to Sky highway funneled us through a magical road with mountains on one side and the sea on the other.

 

It was as if we were transported to a set from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. “Far over the Misty Mountains Cold…”  We stood under the Stwamus Chief, a vast granite monolith, with a witch flying in the stone.

 

We revisited the environmental art installation The Blue Trees I created in 2015 for The Vancouver Biennale, both in Squamish and at nearby Quest University. As intended the blue is degrading off the trees in its own lifecycle, a reminder that all living things have their time.

 

At the Brackendale Art Gallery we met the owner, Thor, an octogenarian with powers like his namesake from Norse mythology.  who introduced us to his magical unicorn that guards the hand-hewn timber gallery.

If you are one of the many travellers to the ski resort of Whistler, then stop and visit the Gallery, open on weekends. It was a dream of Thor’s, every piece of timber master crafted into place.

 

We have returned to this part of British Columbia in Canada because there is magic here. This is a beautiful and magical part of the world, where wintering Bald Eagles dare to land. Where The Blue Trees dare to stand for a short period of time, echoing through their color the beautiful poetic lyrics of Joni Mitchell’s song, Yellow Taxi – “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.”