Shadow play

In addition to writing, I am fascinated with light and colour. Shadows have really been catching my eye lately. Here is the result of a photography experiment I conducted yesterday. In this series of 14 photos, the shifting colour tones and emphases on different elements of the image evoke different moods, from somber to playful to compelling. [Check out post about the exhibit of this series at Havana Art Gallery.]

L’Ouevre was the title of the 14th novel in Émile Zola’s Rougon-Macquart series, first published in serial form in 1885. I once wrote a biography about Zola for a writing class. Interesting how this word popped into my head two decades later as I was thinking of names for these images!

Aged newspaper
longing
Black pencil
fade
Colored chalk
paris
Brush strokes
rain
Chrome
moonscape
Charcoal
1800
Colored foil
psyche
Glowing edges
night
Lamp shadow
clarity
Pencil
bliss
Soft plastic
mindfuck
Cyanotype
nostalgia
Neon glow
oddity
Colored edges
l’ouevre

Monkey Valley Photo Retrospective

2000 – 2013

As I prepare to pass Monkey Valley into the safekeeping of new owners, I would like to celebrate and appreciate the many people, events, and moments of the past 13 years at Monkey Valley. This page shows some of my favourite photos from this time, taken by many friends and family members, and some by me. My apologies if I don’t remember and credit the right people on every photo. Let me know!

Click any photo to see a bigger version. Click the Back button on your browser, or press Ctrl-Left Arrow, to return to this page.

My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who helped in my mission to live in the wilderness. I wish I had pictures of you all to put on this page. Thank you for all you’ve done. And much gratitude to all the visitors who came to enjoy this special place with me, both human and wild (and maybe a few wild humans).

Me in 2001, near the southwest corner post. Hugh McMillan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hugh, the amazing one who saw the potential and supported my dream, working with me tirelessly for two years to get Monkey Valley up and running, 2000

 

 

 

 

Campfire – Yoga & ChiRunning weekend 2010. Photographer unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donald guarding the weenies

 

Alex, Kim, & Geoff Kim’s 45th birthday, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex and Kim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cutest nephew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guess who owns Boardwalk & Park Place! And all the railroads!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bullet hole in lock – the lock reigned indestructible, but the chain did not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of my all-time favourite pictures. I know, I’m a nut. First, for putting the chair on the roof to begin with, and second, for taking a picture of it!
Me and Angela planning the ChiRunning and Yoga retreat. One of us is goofing around!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me and Ange. Joe Charron

 

 

 

 

 

Donald guarding the ChiRunners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mealtime after a hard day of play

 

 

 

 

 

 

The yoga part of the retreat. Everyone is clearly exhausted from all that ChiRunning!

 

The house in the woods. Angela James

 

Winding creek flowing down the valley. Joe Charron
Nootka rose. Joe Charron
Before I put the siding on the house, 2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowy meeting room (back in the days when I had to go out onto the roof to get cell phone reception), 2008
Adah & me & Indian icecream, 2008. Kim Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The soap berries we made it from. Kim Ashley

 

 

Fence in creek. Joe Charron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 fabulous runners after swimming in Missezula Lake and then running home. Joe Charron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tent city. Joe Charron
Two fab dishwashers – Joe and Darch

 

Butterfly, 2009. Munro Sickafoose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dandelion beauty. Munro Sickafoose
Parhelic circle. Munro Sickafoose
Two grouse, 2009
A moose in the upper meadow, 2008

 

I love this one of Monkey and the totally ridiculous mouse trap I made, 2001
Angelic bull, 2009
No trespassing, 2012
Cloud shadow on house, 2009

 

Creek at sunset, 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The corner of Dillard and Loon Lake, 2008

 

Hypnotic fire, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monkey Valley moon, 2008
Winter sky, 2006
Setting intentions at the Medicine Wheel retreat, 2005

 

Snowy tracks, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildflowers, 2003

 

 

Inquiry group (Marvin, Keith, and me), 2004. Dorrie Brannock
My dearest friend Dorrie, eating lunch at a picnic table in Merritt after a “Nature and the Four Directions” retreat at Monkey Valley, 2006. May her spirit be at peace.

 

 

Dean’s egg salad sandwiches – a realtor picnic, 2012

 

Special visitors, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monkey on Dillard sign
Monkey on Dillard sign, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos of Monkey Valley

I added a new entry of photos from the past 12 years at Monkey Valley. Check it out!

As I offer this property for sale, I would like to celebrate and appreciate the many people, events, and moments of the past 12 years at Monkey Valley. This page shows some of my favourite pictures from this time, taken by many friends and family members, and some by me.