After a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Comox Valley photographer, artist and teacher Blair Polischuk, 49, passed away Tuesday.
The fine-art black and white photographer, who operated his darkroom and studio from his home, gained international attention in 2005 when his image, A June Evening, — photographed on Hornby Island — was published in Black and White Magazine.
In 2011, the same image was chosen as one of 52 images selected for George Barr's Why Photography Work, 52 Great Images: Who Made Them, What Makes Them Special.
From 2005 to 2011, Polischuk taught film and darkroom as part of the Professional Photography Program at North Island College.
“The most rewarding part of my art career is teaching photography. Sharing my craft with the Pro Photo students allows me to live vicariously through my students and for that I am most grateful,” he told The Record.
Upon his ALS diagnosis, Polischuk decided to release a free e-book edition of his life's work entitled Archetypes to raise awareness for the elusive disease.
The e-book can be downloaded for free through iTunes.
“I truly believe everything happens for a reason,” Polischuk stated in June. "As I worked my way through the various stages of grieving it occurred to me that I had a window of opportunity, a gift of time, to not only focus on family and friends, but also assemble my lifeʼs work in a format that could be easily shared with the world."
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