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Comox Valley Photographic Society presents Cumberland…Seemingly Boundless

Exhibit runs in June at Gallery @ Weird Church
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Cecile Turnbull, Need-a-Name

Cumberland has always been an attraction for Comox Valley photographers. The main street of Dunsmuir, the old back alleys, the historical sites and the many trails offer exciting subjects for the lens. Those offerings became even more important during the COVID shutdowns, and the idea of this exhibit was hatched over a coffee at the Wandering Moose during a Comox Valley Photographic Society field trip on a snowy day in February, 2021.

Eighteen CVPS photographers decided to participate in this project, and the decision was made to allow images from April 2021 to May 2022 to be submitted.

“Many times I was asked, ‘Is this in Cumberland?’” reflected exhibit organizer Norm Prince. Hence the exhibit name, Cumberland…Seemingly Boundless.

Selecting an image to print requires more attention to detail than making a file to share digitally. Printing is a slow process and forces the maker to look at the details in the image and to think critically about the results. Printing is also an expensive process and more attention is paid to what makes the cut.

“A print is sometimes confrontational, but in a good way,” said Prince. “It grabs your attention and forces you to look closer.”

As images were selected for the exhibit, an interesting collection of architectural-, street- and nature-themed prints emerged in colour and black and white, with some printed on metal or canvas. All prints are similarly framed, allowing the photo to be viewed with no distractions.

“The next piece of the puzzle was to find gallery space, and as luck would have it, during a photo shoot, a poster advertising an exhibit at The Gallery @ Weird Church caught my eye, and CVPS was able to secure June, 2022 with the gallery,” said Prince. The exhibit is still growing, with 35 prints so far. “Exhibited prints let you have the time to look at the details contained in the print, and hopefully there’s a connection made between the viewer and what the photographer was trying to capture.”

Cumberland…Seemingly Boundless opens June 4 from 2-5 p.m. and runs until June 25 at The Gallery @ Weird Church, 2668 Penrith Ave, Cumberland. Open Thursday, Friday 4-6 p.m. and Saturday 2-6 p.m., whenever the gallery sign is displayed.

FMI: www.cvps.ca or contact Norm Prince at: n_prince@telus.net

Shows at The Gallery @ Weird Church are curated by Cumberland resident Joan Udell, whose experience includes a career in teaching at the high school level, a position in regional arts administration, and board experience at local and provincial levels, including chair of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

FMI: udell.joan@gmail.com or www.weirdchurchcumberland.com

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Norman Mathew, Cumberland Forest
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Sean OConnell, Little Red Bike