Category Archives: British Columbia

Gorgeous Winter Scenes by Nicholas Bott

December 25, 2018 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , 36 Comments

Nicholas Bott, Near Revelstoke

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Nicholas Bott is a contemporary Canadian painter originally from the Netherlands who has adopted the vast landscape of the country, particularly British Columbia, as his muse.  His style is reminiscent of a couple of the Group of Seven landscape painters, such as Lawren Harris and Tom Thomson.   These gorgeously rendered wintery scenes by Bott seem appropriate for the chilly season in which we now find ourselves.

You can see more of Bott’s colorful landscapes at the websites for Madrona Gallery and Mountain Galleries.

Nicholas Bott, “Breaking Ice, Baffin Island”

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Nicholas Bott, “Looming Arctic Storm”

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Nicholas Bott, “Northern Village”

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Nicholas Bott, “Winter Light, Bulkley River”

 

(Image Credits: Nicholas Bott)

Elyse Dodge’s Imaginative Geometric Landscapes

May 27, 2018 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , , 38 Comments

Elyse Dodge, “The Stawamus Chief”

 

When I first came across the geometric landscape paintings of Vancouver’s Elyse Dodge, the towering mountain images composed of colorful polygons brought to mind The Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.  That song’s not-so-veiled allusions to psychedelic and kaleidoscopic visions seems fitting for the vibrant playfulness exhibited in Dodge’s art.

In an artist statement, she notes that her “work aims to capture the vibrant beauty of the landscapes that we call home.  . . . The contrast between the crisp geometric lines of the mountains and organic textures of the trees has become my signature aesthetic. The polygonal shapes transform the peaks from being something that is recognizable as a mountain to a faceted, diamond-like form. These surreal scenes encourage the mind to imagine what an alternate and more vivid world could look like.”

Dodge’s work as a professional illustrator (you gotta pay the bills!) and the techniques she borrows from that undoubtedly informs her expressions as a fine artist and her deft manipulations of the iconic landscape of western Canada.

I love the compositional aesthetic of Dodge’s art, but even more I appreciate the deeper ideas about perception that she explores through her paintings.  Her work is a wonderful example of how a talented artist can use her art to challenge us to see our world in a different way and conceive of possibilities we might not have considered otherwise.

Her artist site here provides more insight into and examples of her art and links to some lovely video interviews and profiles.  Vancouver’s terrific Ian Tan Gallery also showcases Dodge’s work.

Elyse Dodge, “Vermillion Lakes”

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Elyse Dodge, “Squamish”

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Elyse Dodge, “Elfin Lakes”

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Elyse Dodge, “Cleveland Dam”

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Elyse Dodge, “Emergence”

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Elyse Dodge, “Vermillion Reflections”

 

(Image Credits: Elyse Dodge)

Similar Posts on O’Canada:

→  Cameron Steven’s Vintage Style Canada Parks Posters

→  Amazing Landscape Artistry of Philip Buytendorp, Jennifer Woodburn and Steve Coffey

→ David Pirrie: Mapping Western Terrains and Our Sense of Place

Fred Herzog’s Vintage Vancouver

December 17, 2017 By in Art, British Columbia, History, Photography Tags: , , , , , , , 77 Comments

Fred Herzog, Bogner’s Grocery (1960)

I’ve seen the street photography of Fred Herzog previously but a brief essay by Geoff Dyer in today’s New York Times Magazine prompted me to look anew at Herzog’s work.  Herzog came to Canada in the early 1950s from Germany and from the late 1950s through the 1960s pioneered color street photography in his adopted city of Vancouver.  His candid shots provide a splendid if unvarnished documentary of the city and its people during that period.  The vintage images also subtly illustrate many things that have changed in Vancouver and other urban areas throughout Canada (and America) in the past several decades.

More of Herzog’s work can be seen at Vancouver’s Equinox Gallery and on its website.

Fred Herzog, 2nd Hand Store Boy (1959)

 

Fred Herzog, Alexander Street (1967)

 

Fred Herzog, Granville Street from Granville Bridge (1966)

 

Fred Herzog, Granville/Robson (1959)

 

Fred Herzog, White Lunch Granville (1959)

 

Photo Credits:  Fred Herzog and Equinox Gallery

Similar Posts on O’Canada:

⊕  Vintage / Mod Design: The City Bus

⊕  Love These Vintage Neon and Bulb Signs

⊕  Regent Gas Station and Sleek Modern Design

Hello, Yellow . . .

December 9, 2017 By in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Photography, Quebec Tags: , , , , , , , 61 Comments

Sun Carving by Local Artists David Taylor, Black Rock, N.S.

A collection of yellows from various photo outings across Canada to brighten the impending blue of winter.

By the Fundy Shore, N.S.
Window Cross, St. Croix Cove Church, N.S.
Sea Kelp, Kejimkujik Seaside N.S.
Iconic Nova Scotia Fisherman, by David Taylor
Toy Soldier, Vintage Shop, Toronto
“I’m Sorry,” Kensington Market, Toronto
Farm Market Cheese, City Market, St. John, N.B.
Close Up, Thunderbird House Totem Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Gravestone with Yellow Lichen, Loyalist Burying Ground, St. Andrews By the Sea, N.B.
Montreal Street Sign
Massey Harris Tractor, Northville Farm Heritage Center, N.S.
Playful Doors, Grand Pre, N.S.
Graffiti, Toronto
Blades of Grass, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Cafe/Coffee Depot, Montreal
Colorful Shop, Annapolis Royal, N.S.
Acadia Theatre, Wolfville, N.S.
Rolled Hay Bales, N.S.
Mt. Hanley Sunset, N.S.
Yellow Lobster Cage, Near Parker’s Cove. Nova Scotia
St. John, N.B. City Market
Bright Bulbs, Monteal
Dory, Lunenberg, N.S.
Wildflowers, Black Rock, N.S.
Buoys, Campobello Island, N.B.
Street Art, Montreal
Kensington Market, Toronto
Squash, Roadside Market, Brooklyn, N.S.
Boat Tie-Post, Digby Wharf, N.S.

Similar posts on O’Canada:

→ Green With Envy

→ Joy of the Blues

→ Seeing Red 

Vintage Tools From 1912 Hardware Catalogue

August 27, 2017 By in British Columbia, Business, History Tags: , , , , , , , , , 40 Comments

Wrenches2

Because I love doing projects that involve hand tools I probably have way more than any reasonable person should have.  But if you work enough with your hands you know that the right tool makes all the difference.  Traditional hardware stores are now a dying breed of retail but back in the day they were the one-stop shop for most tool needs. The McLennan, McFeely & Co. Hardware Store opened in Vancouver in 1885 and for many years was a substantial business enterprise.

These pages are from that merchant’s 1912 catalogue.  Among the wrenches above, the crescent adjustable wrench must have made quite a splash because it was only first introduced around 1907 and to this day is a standard in any well-equipped tool box. Though less common nowadays, variations of the hand drills pictured below can still be found today and are quite useful.

The City of Vancouver Archives has digitized some of the old McLennan, McFeely catalogues, and flipping through the pages makes for an interesting diversion as you ponder how much more laborious it was to do various chores over a century ago.

Hand Drills

Cool Vintage Junkyard For Sale

August 14, 2017 By in British Columbia, Photography Tags: , , , , , , , 54 Comments

I came across a news story that led me to a real estate listing for a well-organized junkyard in Tappen, British Columbia with over 300 vintage cars and trucks crammed into 5 acres.  Along with the land comes a few buildings and all of the classic junkers to boot.  Asking price is almost CDN $1.5 million!

The colorful pictures taken by the selling real estate agency (Century 21 Agent Hudson Purba) are superb, several of which are posted here (more can be viewed on the listing site).  This throwback reminds me of Old Car City in northwest Georgia, a salvage yard dating to the 1930s which is filled with truly old rusty vehicles that Mother Nature has slowly reclaimed. Both places are full of eye-candy for photographers and the just plain curious.

(Image credits:  Century 21 Agent Hudson Purba)

In Praise of Aislinn Hunter’s “Linger, Still”

July 29, 2017 By in Books / Literature, British Columbia, Nova Scotia Tags: , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Earlier this year, Gaspereau Press, a small press in Kentville, Nova Scotia devoted to exquisite bookmaking, released Linger, Still, Aislinn Hunter’s most recent poetry collection.  (Aside from the wonderful writing, I think it’s great that a brilliant writer from Vancouver is published by one of the country’s highest caliber presses, all the way on the opposite coast.)

Hunter has penned many riveting pieces in this volume, which I highly recommend. Here’s one of her standouts for me:

Esk, Part V.

The starry heads of the woodruff

are saying No to the wind,

 

though they might also be nodding along

to the song of their own great ideas.

 

Still, today it feels like

the clock of the world,

 

its ticking heart,

is less fired-up than usual.

 

The talk last night was of violence,

and the right to be offended.

 

Tonight I’ll aim for lightness

and fail —

 

forget the names

of the field flowers,

 

say the wrong things at dinner,

ghost past the dusky mirror.

 

I’ll try to talk about the girl I met

at a workshop in London,

 

the one whose brother

mounted neon signs

 

on the outside walls

of cemeteries —

 

YOU ARE STILL ALIVE one said,

in a pulsing red fluorescence.

 

YOU ARE STILL

ALIVE.

           ~ Aislinn Hunter

“Dear Auntie . . . don’t be cross”: Scenic British Columbia in Old Postcards

February 19, 2017 By in Art, British Columbia, Society Tags: , , , , , , , 59 Comments

gorge-bridge

Postmarked July 12, 1921 (Note Is Below)

Back in the day writing letters and cards was the routine thing to do if you wanted to stay in touch with distant friends and relatives. Picture postcards also allowed the recipient vicariously to experience what the sender did and saw.  As suggested by the note below on one of these cards of British Columbia, the folks back at home expected a long form letter if possible and sending only a postcard from a trip was an occasion for an apology (being Canadians and all). 🙂

gorge-bridge-note-side

Note Side of Card Above of Gorge Bridge, Victoria, B.C.

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yoho-glacier

Yoho Glacier, near Field, B.C. (About 1910)

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simash-rock

Simash Rock, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1905)

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seven-sisters

Seven Sisters, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1910)

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lynn-canyon-bridge

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1915)

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fraser-river

Fraser River, Yale B.C. (About 1910)

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capilano-suspension-bridge

Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, B.C. (About 1951)

Vintage Picture Map Geography of Canada

February 4, 2017 By in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Tags: , , 41 Comments

nw-territories

I recently came across a copy of an old school book, “Picture Map Geography of Canada and Alaska” by Vernon Quinn, that includes charming woodcut picture maps by Bruno da Osimo, a then noted Italian illustrator, for each of the Canadian provinces (other than Nunavut, which was then part of the Northwest Territories).  Originally published in 1944 and updated in 1954, it has a light but well-written chapter devoted to individual provinces.  Each map features animals, plants, activities and industries peculiar to the province depicted.  In addition to the maps (scanned in above and below), the book is adorned throughout with other delightful illustrations by da Osima (some of which I’ll compile in a future post).

alberta british-columbia manitoba-saskatchewan newfoundland nova-scotia-new-brunswick-pei ontario-2 quebec yukon

 

Similar Posts on O’Canada Blog:

• 1933 Quebec Tourist Road Map

• Old Maps and Their Hidden Stories

• Songs & Ballads From Nova Scotia

Vintage / Mod Design: The City Bus

January 16, 2017 By in Alberta, British Columbia, History, Ontario, Photography, Quebec, Society Tags: , , , , , , 22 Comments

vancouver-bus-4

City Bus on Vancouver Street (about mid-1950s)

Distinctive industrial design reveals itself in many ways and, when done well, can be a genuine pleasure to take in.   While the specialness of such design is often difficult to see in our contemporary surroundings, its otherwise subtle impact jumps out when looking back at vintage images. A case in point: the humble municipal bus, operated in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and other cities across Canada.  Over this period theses buses began to display a very mod sensibility as they evolved from the severe boxiness of earlier 1930s and 1940s versions to later, during the 1950s through the 1970s, being adorned with more rounded contours, sleek curves and very stylized lines and chrome elements.

Green With Envy

September 4, 2016 By in Art, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Photography, Quebec Tags: , , , , 31 Comments

aaDSC_8282

Headstones, Old Burying Ground, Halifax

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Given its immense size, Canada is blessed with vast forests, sprawling farms and sweeping fields all of green.  Adding to previous posts featuring red- and blue-themed photo galleries, this collection showcases many shades of green that I’ve encountered through my photos from coast to coast across Canada.

House Address Numbers, Montreal
Handmade Birdhouse, Harbourville, N.S.
Rural Canada Post Mailbox, Near Bear River, N.S.
Graffiti, Montreal
Architectural Window Detail, Quebec City, N.S.
Old Dockside Warehouse, Shelburbne, N.S.
Hillside and Lichen-Covered Boulder, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Parking Sign, Toronto
Along the Seawall, Stanley Park, Vancouver
1939 Royal Princesses Stamp
Mel’s Tea Room Neon Sign, Sackville, N.B
Monster Mask Scarecrow, Cap Le Moine, Cape Breton, N.S.
Cast Iron Door, Distillery District, Toronto
Turnips, Saint John City Market, New Brunswick
Bronze Statues, University of Toronto Campus
Vintage Horse Toy, Toronto
Corktown Street Sign, Toronto
Eco-Car, Kensington Market, Toronto
Totem Face, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Fort Anne, Annapolis Royal, N.S.
Vintage Phone, Shelburne, N.S.
View from Signal Hill, St. John’s, Newfoundland

Joy of the Blues

August 14, 2016 By in Art, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Photography, Quebec Tags: , , , , 55 Comments
Nfld -- Boat on Grass

Small Fishing Boat, Near Port Rexton, Newfoundland

I love playing around with themes.  In an earlier post, I grouped together a bunch of my photos from across Canada that featured a strong element of red.  Today, I thought I’d do a similar thing with some photos that incorporate blues (of the uplifting kind).

Campobello Island, New Brunswick
Fresh Berries, St. John Market, New Brunswick
Shop Sign, Toronto
Heart-Shaped Box from Vintage Shop in Toronto
Door to Boat Workshop, Annapolis Royal, N.S.
Blue Door, Annapolis Royal, N.S.
Statue of Evangeline, Grand Pre, N.S.
Peach Blossoms Against Cloudy Sky, Wolfville, N.S.
Worn Manhole Cover, Toronto
Flapper Porcelain Figurine from Vintage Shop in Toronto
Riverside, Toronto
Colorful Hats, Vintage Shop, Toronto
Shuttered House, Capstick, N.S.
End of Day, Digby Harbor, N.S.
Boats at Low Tide, Annapolis Royal, N.S.
Alexander Graham Bell Stamp
Building Top Detail, Montreal
“TDX” Graffiti, Toronto
Weathered Sign, Montreal
Quebec Flags Flapping, Quebec City, Quebec
Fishing Boat, Peggy’s Cove, N.S.
Ornate Window, Toronto
Metro Sign, Montreal
Park Bench, St. Andrew’s By the Sea, New Brunswick
Totem Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Cloudy and Blue Skies, Grand Pre, N.S.

Lyssa Kayra’s Inspired Tree Ring Art

July 10, 2016 By in Art, British Columbia, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , 26 Comments

Vancouver's Winter (2015)

Lyssa Kayra, Vancouver’s Winter (2016)

Lyssa Kayra’s art is striking!  I love her skillful use of colors and her expressive creativity. Her imaginative large-scale paintings use the form of tree rings — the natural design of which alone makes an intriguing subject and which is suggestive of time and memory — as a means of conveying ideas about specific places that have influenced her.

More info about this wonderful young Vancouver-based artist and her gorgeous work can be found on her artist site here.

Anjuna Textile, India (2015)

Lyssa Kayra, Adjuna Textile, India (2015)

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Berlin Wall (2015)

Lyssa Kaya, Berlin Wall (2015)

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Sahara (2015)

Lyssa Kayra, Sahara (2015)

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Purple Study (2016)

Lyssa Kayra, Purple Study (2016)

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Canadian Cities in 1950s Watercolors

July 3, 2016 By in Alberta, Art, British Columbia, History, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan Tags: , , 48 Comments

Edmonton

For Canada Day weekend, this post features images that span the geography of this vast country.  Around 1953, in a grand display of national pride, the Montreal-based alcohol and beverage giant Seagram Company commissioned over a dozen Canadian artists (including several among the famed Group of Seven) to create a series of  watercolors of major Canadian cities. The paintings were subsequently the focus of a world tour organized by Seagram to showcase Canada and its urban landscapes.

While recently rummaging through an antique shop I came across a small booklet, dating to 1953, in which these paintings were reproduced and for which this post shows a sampling of the now somewhat faded images.  While many of the provincial capitals are depicted, I find the inclusion of several less prominent cities (including Fort William, Hamilton, Sarnia, Shawinigan Falls and Trois Rivieres) to be fascinating.

St. John's

Calgary

Shawinigan Falls

Charlottetown

Halifax

Montreal

Regina

Quebec City

Saint John

Hamilton

Vancouver

Toronto

Winnipeg

Windsor

Intricate Pebble Paintings by Kristina Boardman

May 14, 2016 By in Alberta, Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , , , 39 Comments
K. Boardman, Caras Pebbles

Kristina Boardman, “Cara’s Pebbles”

Photo-realistic paintings, such as these by BC-based artist Kristina Boardman, easily fool the casual observer as well as the more-studied eye.  That’s amazing enough!  But in addition, these works of pain-staking exactitude nicely capture the whimsy and pleasure of surveying a shoreline adorned with swaths of smooth-faced multi-colored stones and pebbles that have been thrown together randomly over long periods.

Although the realism of these paintings dictate a dominant blue-gray hue, Boardman wonderfully conveys nuance within that muted palette and complements this with perfect pops of other earth tones and pleasing juxtapositions of size and shape.  The compositions of some of these images, such as “Cara’s Pebbles” (above), suggest small jewels just underfoot.

Among other venues, her work is available at the Ian Tan Gallery in Vancouver and can also be viewed on Boardman’s website here.

K. Boardman, Communication

Kristina Boardman, “Communication”

 

K. Boardman, Saltspring Sunday

Kristina Boardman, “Saltspring Sunday”

 

David Pirrie: Mapping Western Terrains and Our Sense of Place

May 1, 2016 By in Alberta, Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , , 29 Comments

David Pirrie, Mt Phillips, BC Rockies (2016)

David Pirrie, Mt. Phillips, BC Rockies (2016)

There’s a great deal of pleasure to be found studying maps, replete as they are with seemingly arcane symbols, dots, lines and grids awaiting patient deciphering.   Among the fascinations of Vancouver-based artist David Pirrie is the iconography of maps and how they influence our sense of place, which he nicely explores in a wonderful series of paintings recently exhibited at Vancouver’s Ian Tan Gallery.

Pirrie’s paintings of Canada’s western landscape, particularly of mountains in the Alberta  and British Columbia Rockies, are overlayed with mapping details and pastel hues that display a slight pop art sensibility that is both intriguing and pleasing.  His having climbed many of these mountains adds an element of intimacy to his gorgeous representations of these majestic formations.

More of David Pirrie’s work can be seen at his website here.

David Pirrie, Mt Assiniboine, Late Summer (2016)

David Pirrie, Mt. Assiniboine, Late Summer(2016)

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David Pirrie, Columbia Icefield (2016)

David Pirrie, Columbia Icefield , 1/50,000 (2016)

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David Pirrie, Mt Edith Cavell (2016)

David Pirrie, Mt. Edith Cavell (2016)

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David Pirrie, Kates Needle, BC Coast (2013)

David Pirrie, Kates Needle, BC Coast (2013)

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David Pirrie, Mt Robson Ice Fall (2016)

 David Pirrie, Mt. Robson Ice Fall (2016)

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Artist to Appreciate: Walter J. Phillips

March 26, 2016 By in Art, British Columbia, Manitoba Tags: , , , , , , , , 30 Comments

Walter J. Philips -- York Boat on Lake Winnipeg (1930) v2

Walter J. Phillips, York Boat on Lake Winnipeg (1930)

Walter Joseph Phillips is yet another unquestioned master of magnificent woodcut images of the Canadian landscape.  He often printed his artwork in color inks rather than just black ink as used by many of his contemporaries working in the same medium.  Although born in England, he settled in Canada as a youth and resided in Winnipeg, Manitoba for much of his life (the same place, coincidentally, chosen as a newfound home by another exceptional Canadian woodcut artist and fellow European immigrant, Eric Bregman).  Phillips produced the bulk of his work from the late 1910s through the 1940s.  In many of his images of the Canadian west he situated people within the scene, providing both a sense of scale and nice human emotional element.

Walter J. Philips -- Mount Cathedral & Mount Stephan (1928)

Walter J. Phillips, Mount Cathedral & Mount Stephan (1928)

Walter J. Philips -- Lake of the Woods (1931)

Walter J. Phillips, Lake of the Woods (1931)

Walter J. Philips -- Red River Jig (1931)

Walter J. Phillips, Red River Jig (1931)

Walter J. Philips -- The Clothes Line - Mamalilicoola (1930)

Walter J. Phillips, The Clothesline –Mamalilicoola (B.C.) (1930)

Walter J. Philips -- The Stump (1928) v2

Walter J. Phillips, The Stump (1928)

The Sweet Lowdown: “Red Shift Blues”

January 24, 2016 By in British Columbia, Film / Performing Arts, Music Tags: , , , , 13 Comments

The Sweet Lowdown

The Sweet Lowdown is an amazingly talented folk and roots music trio based in Vancouver Island, B.C.  The group consists of Amanda Blied on guitar,  Shanti Bremer on banjo, and Miriam Sonstenes on fiddle.  Their wonderful harmonies and skillful musicianship and songwriting are starting to attract much-deserved wider recognition, including coveted nominations by the Canadian Folk Music Awards as 2015 Ensemble of the Year and 2015 Roots Group Recording of the Year by the Western Canadian Music Awards for their album “Chasing the Sun”.

The video above is for “Red Shift Blues”, a soulful tune from the band’s 2011 self-titled album “The Sweet Lowdown”.  More info on them and their music can be found on their official band website.

(Photo Credit: Ashli Akins)

Janis Woode’s Thought-Provoking Sculptures

November 16, 2014 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , , 13 Comments

J. Woode -- Personal Tornado

Janis Woode Personal Tornado

While reading a recent issue of Arabella magazine I was captivated by the intriguing and thought-provoking sculptures made from steel, wire and other metals created by Salt Spring Island, B.C. artist Janis Woode.  Although some of her works suggest a whimsical element, Woode also manages to convey an array of deep emotions to which I expect many of her viewers can readily relate.  See more of her cleverly crafted art at her website here.

J. Woode -- Cupid

Janis Woode, Cupid

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J. Woode -- Root

Janis Woode, Root

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J. Woode -- Stilted Walker

Janis Woode, Stilted Walker

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J. Woode -- The Musician

Janis Woode, The Musician

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J. Woode -- Boat

Janis Woode, The Boat

(Image Credits: Artist Website)

Appreciating Each Precious Moment

September 27, 2014 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , 29 Comments

Butchart Gardens -- Water Leaves

Floating Fall Leaves, Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C.

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”

                                                                      ~ Henry David Thoreau

Bridges As Depicted on Vintage Postcards

August 9, 2014 By in Alberta, Art, British Columbia, History, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec Tags: , , , , , , 21 Comments

High-Level-Bridge,-Edmonton

 Steam train crossing as onlookers leisurely enjoy the vista.  Postmarked 1921. 

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Even with sophisticated modern equipment, bridges are marvels of engineering skill.  Bridges from earlier periods, such as the array of Canadian ones featured on these vintage postcards, built without the benefit of such conveniences and often at the cost of many lives and injuries, are that much more impressive!

Heading into Canada from Detroit.  About 1940s, when cars featured many curves.

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Victoria-Jubilee-Bridge

Love the simplicity of this image and the partial reflection. Postmarked 1906.

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A singular Canadian achievement when built around 1913.
Another bascule bridge with a small boat passing under.
Early 1900s. This bridge is close to the one photographed in an earlier post on my blog near Clementsport, N.S.
About 1951. This is an amazing suspension bridge!
Lots of boaters around this one. Postmarked 1921.
About 1920s. Nice old water tower at other end.
Early 1900s
The Princess Elaine was built in 1928 for the Vancouver Ferry System and was a jewel of the ferries at the time. Postcard is about 1930s.
About 1940. Non-traditional focus for a bridge image. Neat old auto coming toward the viewer.
About 1920. Less well-known and more secluded than the Capilano Suspension Bridge several miles away in Vancouver.
Lovely simple scene in New Brunswick.
Early 1900s. Horse-drawn carriages can be seen crossing.
Postmarked 1941, addressed to Shirley Meador in Milrose, Massachusetts. Back of card reads, “My dear sister, How can you ever get along without me there? Ken”
Another view of the Pont Gouin in St. Johns, Quebec. Postmarked 1939.
Reverse of the Victoria Gorge card in this group. Postmarked 1921. Like the line: ” . . . if I only send cards please don’t be cross. It’s hard to write letters.” Only a name and a town were needed for an address.

Similar posts:

•  Beautiful Old Railway Bridge, Near Clementsport, N.S.

•  Canada-U.S. Friendship Postcard and Stamps

•  Vintage Quebec:  Ox Carts, Dog Carts and Sleighs

Simple Beauty in Stanley Park

June 7, 2014 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , 21 Comments

Blades of Grass, Stanley Park

Along the Seawall, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C.

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“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.”
                                                                                  ~ Walt Whitman

Old Maps and Their Hidden Stories

May 17, 2014 By in Alberta, Art, British Columbia, History, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec Tags: , , , , , , , , 36 Comments

Nova Canadae 1693

Nova Canadae (1693)

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Good historical maps combine science and art to guide its users through its subject geography, with the best such maps igniting the imagination about the many backstories underpinning its cartographical offerings. Some of the oldest maps of North America include parts of Canada, which then featured place names such Terra Nova (now Newfoundland), Nouvelle France (most of what is now Eastern Canada), and Acadie (now Nova Scotia).  The following collection showcases some interesting old maps of Canada I’ve come across.

British America (1841)
Alberta (1944)
Dominion of Canada with Newfoundland (1920)
East Canada (1851)
Manitoba (1891)
Gulf of St. Lawrence (1760)
Upper Canada (1855)
Vancouver (1898)
Isles of Montreal (ca. 1800)
Literary Map of Canada (1936)

Related Posts on O’Canada:

— 1933 Quebec Tourist Road Map

Stanley Park — Non-Traditional Views

October 25, 2013 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , , , 35 Comments
Blades of Grass, Stanley Park

Blades of Grass, Stanley Park

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Many photos from Vancouver’s Stanley Park are of the more traditional sights there, such as the native American totem poles about which I posted earlier.  I certainly have taken my share of those but I also like less customary images of off-the-beaten-track details from a location such as Stanley Park.   These images I captured from the Park are examples of ordinary details that convey a different sort of majesty for that place.

Weathered Mooring, Stanley Park

Weathered Mooring, Stanley Park

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Bush and Rock Minimalism, Stanley Park

Bush and Rock Minimalism, Stanley Park

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Along the Seawall, Stanley Park

Along the Seawall, Stanley Park

Vintage Canadian Apple Crate Labels

October 17, 2013 By in Art, British Columbia, Food / Drinks, Nova Scotia Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 31 Comments

Ogopogo Apples

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In the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia and many places in between, Fall is harvest time from coast to coast for Canada’s rich variety of apples.    That variety is also reflected in the colorful artistry of numerous vintage apple crate labels — such as the incredible OgoPogo one above — which recently caught my eye and which I thought would be worth collecting here to share.  (You can click through the slides below.)

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Stanley Park Totem Poles

September 14, 2013 By in Art, British Columbia, History Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 24 Comments
Chief Skedans Mortuary Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver

Chief Skedans Mortuary Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver

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Stanley Park is a beautiful, peaceful greenspace on a sprawling peninsula in the heart of bustling Vancouver.  The Park’s collection of native American totem poles is eye-catching and conjures marvelment and reverence at the creativity of the people of the Pacific Northwest that made these exquisite carvings.

In these photos from a trip there not long ago it was challenging to separate the poles from the surrounding trees so these don’t do justice to the majesty of these enduring artifacts.

Sky Chief Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver

Sky Chief Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver

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Oscar Maltipi Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Close Up, KAKASO’LAS Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Close Up, Thunderbird House Totem Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver
KAKASO’LAS Pole (in foreground), Stanley Park, Vancouver
Thunderbird House Totem Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver
Close Up, Chief Wakas Pole, Stanley Park, Vancouver

Images of Butchart Gardens

June 8, 2013 By in Art, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , 15 Comments
Butchart Gardens -- Water Leaves

Butchart Gardens — Maple Leaves on Water

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The spectacularly beautiful Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. has many gorgeous flower gardens, but I gravitated toward the serenity of its many trees as these images show from a trip there a few years ago.

Butchart Gardens -- Gnarly Limbs

Butchart Gardens — Gnarly Limbs

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Butchart Gardens -- Moss and Branches

Butchart Gardens — Moss and Branches

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Butchart Gardens -- Walkway

Butchart Gardens — Tree-Lined Walkway

Manu Keggenhoff’s Photography of the North

April 19, 2013 By in Art, British Columbia, Yukon Tags: , , , 6 Comments
Manu Keggenhoff -- Arctic Cup O Grease

Arctic Cup O Grease

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I’m a sucker for images of the lonely, serene beauty of the far northern wilderness — they readily draw me in and don’t easily let me go.  So, I was delighted recently to happen upon the work of Manu Keggenhoff, an Atlin, B.C.-based photographer whose exquisitely keen sense of composition wonderfully showcases the Yukon, British Columbia and other northern regions.  She also has a lot going on that’s worth checking out.  Among other things, her work is on display through the end of this month at the “Mood of the Land” exhibit at the Yukon Arts Centre; she’s just published a sumptuous photo book, Northern Exposure, about the Atlin, B.C. area; she’s working on a new series of photographs called “Art and Soul” that looks intriguing; and she does graphic design for Yukon, North of Ordinary magazine.

See Keggenhoff’s website for more of her outstanding photography.

M. Keggenhoff -- Northern Exposure

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Manu Keggenhoff -- Snow Relic

Snow Relic

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Manu Keggenhoff -- Burning Sky

Burning Sky

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Manu Keggenhoff -- Aurora Across Atlin Lake

Aurora Across Atlin Lake

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Mood of the Land

Retro Winter Recreation and Travel Ads

January 24, 2013 By in Alberta, Art, British Columbia, Ontario, Outdoor Adventure, Quebec, Sports Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 14 Comments

Temperatures this far south, as well as the extreme cold gripping much of eastern Canada this week, leave no doubt that we’re deep in the heart of winter.  Because of this, my thoughts turn toward skiing, ice skating, hockey and other winter recreations and the many places above the 49th parallel — among them Banff, Quebec, Whistler, the Laurentians and Jasper — that are popular destinations for cold weather and snowy pastimes.  So, I thought I’d share some retro travel ads and posters touting these places and this season’s activities.  Many of these are from the Canadian Pacific Railway, which engaged in  a wide range of travel promotions for locations throughout Canada (and beyond).  The vivid graphics work their magic by conveying visions of boundless wintry pleasures.  Among the more distinctive of these works are those by Peter Ewart and Roger Couillard, two of the more notable artists commissioned for their attractive illustrations.  More Canadian Pacific travel posters may be seen here on an earlier O’Canada Blog post.

Image Credits:  Library and Archives Canada; Canadian Pacific Railway Archives

The Hidden Treasure That Is Haida Gwaii

January 5, 2013 By in British Columbia, Outdoor Adventure Tags: , , , , 60 Comments

“My interest in Haida Gwaii spiked when I mentioned it to a few more worldly adventure writers than myself — folks who spend their weekends traversing Mongolia on skis —  and got a collective “Haida what?” in response.  Can’t blame ’em.  Though it’s only 80 miles off  Canada’s Pacific coast, Haida Gwaii (previously known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) gets perpetually bypassed for the cruise-ship-frequented shores of nearby Alaska, just 50 miles to the north.  Getting to the island chain is also logistically challenging enough that the spoils remain a step removed.  . . . If you’re looking for a Lost World, these islands — isolated since the last Ice Age — fit the bill in every way that counts:  geographically, biologically, and culturally.”

Ted Alvarez, in “Canada: Treasure Island,” in Backpacker (Jan. 2013)

Haida Gwaii 2 Map

(Photo credits: Upyernoz per Wikimedia; Map credit: Koba-chan per Wikimedia)

Douglas & McIntyre: An Exceptional Indy Publisher

December 24, 2012 By in Art, Books / Literature, British Columbia Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Although several volumes produced by the Vancouver-based Douglas & McIntyre have sat upon my shelves for quite awhile,   I had not focused on this independent publishing powerhouse until I recently posted some thoughts about art in the Pacific Northwest and pondered the coincidence that two art books (Shore, Forest and Beyond and Mythic Beings) mentioned then were from D&M.  I also count Inuksuit (noted in O’Canada Blog on January 31, 2011) and Arctic Eden  among my books from D&M that contain beautiful images of special aspects of the Canadian physical and cultural landscape.

Exploring their catalog of titles, what strikes me are the diverse range and high quality — there are many award wimmers here — of Douglas & McIntyre’s art-themed volumes and its literary fiction and non-fiction.   Its affiliated imprint, Greystone Books, is also quite good.  I’ve added several to my wish list.   Some of the titles that stood out from my browsing include those below.