When I first started documenting the landscape from the aerial perspective, I wanted to act as a witness to the constant change that human activity has on our environment. I was interested in trying to capture the impact that the initial survey of the land, the construction of the grid road system, and the ongoing practice of agricultural production, have on the prairie landscape. As I continued to view the landscape from the sky, it became more and more noticeable that it was in the small coulees, glacial valleys and river beds that natural habitat was more intact. It was this growing awareness that led to body of work entitled ‘Waterways’.
When I was a child, the most important geographical feature of my world was the South Saskatchewan River. The river was a constant in my life. There was nothing like the view from the centre of the CP rail bridge, a few kilometres from my home. It allowed me to see the city, the river and the river habitat from a Birdseye view. I felt linked to the river and was clearly aware that it was the source of water for our home.
I’ll never forget the Sundays when we go out to visit my grandparents in the small town of Zelma. Their source of water was a well, and the water was heavily laden with minerals and iron. We drank copious cups of tea, and occasionally we were allowed the treat of a Pic A Pop from my grand-parents root cellar. The water was not considered palatable by myself and my siblings. I have vivid memories of arriving home and running to the sink to turn on the water to the coldest setting and let it run until the pure cold water filled my glass. In my child’s eye I felt the connection from the stream of water running from the tap directly to the river.
When I moved to Southern Saskatchewan, I felt less connected to the water sources that provided me with my daily needs. As I contemplated the Waterways series, I decided to try to understand more clearly how the water flows to my home and other communities in southern and central areas. Somehow it seemed appropriate to start at a historically significant confluence. One of the most important water points recognized by the Hudson’s Bay Company was the area where the Qu’Appelle river meets the Assiniboine River. It was in this place that the company established Fort Ellice in 1831, prior to settlement on the prairies. Waterways is a body of work that follows a route from this starting point down the Qu’Appelle water system through the Regina area continuing on to the Diefenbaker dam. I then followed the water from River Landing, up the South Saskatchewan River to my childhood home in Saskatoon.
It quickly became apparent that many of the waterways are also being deeply impacted by human activity. Agricultural production crowds up against the small streams and the harvesting of hay impacts the river valleys. Recreational sites alter the banks of the larger bodies of water. Smaller streams and rivers have their courses altered by drainage, ditches and diversion. In many ways this body of work bears witness to the dwindling resource of natural habitat near water in South and Central Saskatchewan. I hope these artworks inspire people to think about how we interact with the waterways that are an important part of our daily life on the prairies.
