LE BLANC STUDIO
“I’m hoping my work ignites those memories from childhood, whether you lived in the countryside or not, when you paused to absorb as much of the evening magic into your body as you could.”
2023 EXHIBITIONS
December 1st - January 1st
Cowboy Coffee Magazine Group Exhibition
Mountain Rose Parlour, Pemberton, BC
December 6 - January 18th
Plaskett Gallery
Opening Reception December 12th at 4pm
Massey Theatre, New Westminster, BC
As artists and educators of similar mind and values, Keith Randall and I have come together for a collaborative exhibition of our most personal works. Keith has been a mentor of mine since I began teaching in 2017, and I’ve come to admire his approach to engaging with the world and staying true to his artistic practice. In having the opportunity to work alongside Keith, I’ve come to realise the incredible importance of staying authentic to one’s purpose and core values. This exhibition is an opportunity for me to ‘show off’ the simple moments in nature that bring me the purest form of joy - something I often hid in art school and later as a freelancer because it didn’t fit the clean, sophisticated typecast of ‘photographer’ that I thought I needed to be.
Growing up in Pemberton, I was obsessed with horses. My childhood bedroom was covered in unicorn and horse posters. I lucked out when my mom gifted me a handful of riding lessons, but horses always came with a warning tag for being ‘dangerous’ and ‘expensive’ - so I quietly envied friends who had horses in their backyards and I loved them from afar. As I grew older, I ditched the country aesthetic because I felt like an imposter. Many of the people leaning into the country vibe actually grew up on farms or barrel raced, and I didn’t. I loved computers, skiing and art - I didn’t fit the mould for country living, so I tucked it away and focused on becoming a freelance photographer.
One summer though, I took up a spontaneous offer from a friend to photograph a free-roaming herd of horses behind his house on the unceded territory of the Lílwat nation. It was pure magic climbing through ditches and running away from bulls, to pet the noses of foals and stay cautiously back from the head of the hierarchy. I felt like I’d gotten to experience the environment of Lìlwat Nation, of Mount Currie and Pemberton, in a way I hadn’t experienced since I was little - being completely immersed in the moment and all my senses at once.
The work I’m showing in this exhibition showcases those magically simplistic moments I wish I could sink into and never leave. It’s a casual drive down the road or cut through a field, watching horses galloping at golden hour - with that specific evening breeze and fresh scent of grass and horse sweat. It’s the horse snorts as they see you coming, and the flick of a tail to ward off flies. The sting on your bare legs after walking through tall grass. I’m hoping my work ignites those memories from childhood, whether you lived in the countryside or not, when you paused to absorb as much of the evening magic into your body as you could.
Framed prints from the exhibitions are available for purchase via this website. For custom sizing, please send inquiries to contact@amieleblanc.ca
