Fred Moody "Hometown Series" Painting

I want to extend my thanks to artist Fred Moody who took inspiration from one of my "Hometown Series" images of Medicine Hat, Alberta last year and asked me if he could paint it. I'm always appreciate of these requests and only ask that artists share an update of their work if they happen to follow through on the idea. Fred took it a step further and surprised me by mailing the completed framed canvas painting as a gift for my personal collection.

As someone who doesn't have much of my own work on my walls, this painting by Fred Moody is a really unique highlight. I love his interpretation, I'm humbled by the gift, and I just think this makes a really cool story for one of my gallery walls. Thank you, Fred! This is amazing.

The original image featuring the Saamis Teepee.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Hat

The new year is off to great start! Fresh snow, lots of new shoots in this winter scenery, and a viral Star Wars inspired edit that did particularly well on the Editing Luke Instagram.

The heavy snowfall in Medicine Hat, Alberta over the weekend lead to this new image looking down 6th Avenue reaching over 100K people in just 48 hours. To push it just a little bit further I created "The Empire Strikes Hat", a quick Star Wars edit featuring AT-AT walkers that leveraged the popularity of the original post into another bit of shareable content.

 

Hometown Series at the Esplanade Gallery

If you find yourself in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta over the next 5 months, have a look at the Tumbleweed Spaces that line the exterior of the Esplanade gallery.

Since 2012, I've sporadically shot thousands of images of Medicine Hat as part of a collection I've referred to as "the Hometown Series" and if you've followed me at any point in the last decade there's a good chance you've seen a part of it randomly pop up in your feed. The Hometown Series became so popular over lockdown that you may even have a print from it hanging in your home at this point.

This new installation was just completed last week and features 24 panels with over 150 variations from the series. It's also been a rare excuse for me to take stock of just how big this collection has become without having a specific end date or purpose in mind - it was always more about challenging myself to create and share something in the moment amidst a myriad of other projects.

As I described in my notes it's become a digital tapestry of my community, but in its simplest form, it's really just an excuse to look at the familiar in a less familiar way.

Of course, this exhibition wouldn't have happened without all of you and your support. It also wouldn't have happened without the amazing team at TREX Southeast who were the ones who nudged me to consider doing this and presented the opportunity a year ago.

It's amazing what time and a little creative energy can turn into. Thank you all for the push and for continuing to share the ride!

New Art Installation: Coming Soon!

Hey, folks! I've been keeping a little secret. I've got a free public exhibition featuring my "Hometown Series" going up in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta this month. You won't even have to get out of your car to catch a glimpse of it. Stay tuned for the reveal as the installation is completed over the next week or two.

Finlay Bridge in Medicine Hat, Alberta

On May 14, 1908 Finlay Bridge officially opened. The green truss bridge that spans the South Saskatchewan River in Medicine Hat, Alberta is a locally recognized heritage site, and since it was completed over a century ago, it has remained a symbol of the city. At 277 metres long and 10 metres wide, it was the largest bridge in Western Canada when it was built. Few local landmarks have maintained their practical significance and usage for the entirety of their lifetimes, but Finlay Bridge remains an artery to Medicine Hat's downtown core to this day.

Finlay Bridge was named after William T. Finlay who was one of Medicine Hat's early mayors from 1900-1902. Finlay was also Medicine Hat's first MLA when the province of Alberta was formed in 1905 and became Alberta's first Minister of Agriculture at that time.

Over the years Finlay Bridge has undergone refurbishment, including a complete deck and paint rehabilitation in 2009. The installation of brand new decorative LED lighting above the bridge and along the piers was also completed in 2011. Finlay Bridge is the support structure for the main Shaw Cross Canada fibre optic cable, proving that while the requirements for the bridge have evolved over the years, it is no less relevant today.

Construction of Finlay Bridge in 1908.

2022: Medicine Hat, Alberta Images of the Year

On the local front, 2022 marked the 10 year anniversary since I began photographing Medicine Hat, Alberta as part of my Around the Hat / Hometown Series.

On one hand I started the year feeling like maybe the series had run its course, and on the other hand quickly saw that engagement had never been higher. 

As it turned out there were quite a few surprises that followed - some high-profile features, notable print installations, and even a couple of new experiences to boot. With enough encouragement, it's safe to say the series isn't going anywhere. Here are just a few of the "hometown hits" that received the most engagement in 2022.