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I am a self-taught photographer and digital artist from Sioux Narrows, Ontario, Canada. I have been a practicing photographer and artist for over 35 years. I work primarily in landscapes, with a particular focus on astrophotography, wildlife, historical sites, lifestyle, candid portraiture, video documentaries, digital arts and watercolours. I was born in Fort Frances, Ontario, of Northern European, Anishinaabe and Métis heritage. I have always lived in the Northwestern Ontario region, in Treaty 3 Territory, primarily at Sioux Narrows, where I will always call home.
My family and I lived and worked at a fishing resort on Lake of the Woods for generations. Early exposure to a nature and lake-based lifestyle, fishing and hunting, foraging and gathering, in a rural, wilderness setting, helped to formulate the development of my photographic work. Exhibitions include The Moving Gallery Project (2017) at Sioux Narrows – Nestor Falls, Ontario, The Artist’s Muse (2019) at The Douglas Family Art Centre, Kenora, Ontario, and Art At The Lake (2021) at The Douglas Family Art Centre, Kenora, Ontario. My images have appeared in several publications, both print and digital, including The Cottager (print), Northern Ontario Travel (digital) and Lake of the Woods Area News (print). I am a member of the NEXUS Group of Artists, at Northwestern Ontario. As well, I am a member of and have exhibited at Cre8ery Gallery & Studio at Winnipeg, Manitoba.
My process involves a weaving of imagery; the natural beauty of the lakes, wilderness, people, culture, and life that makes up the Lake of the Woods region and the Boreal Forest. My goal is to achieve balance and symmetry, leading lines, elements of interest to draw the eye, as well as to look past the obvious, which is not always beautiful in the traditional sense. This could mean a long exposure landscape, showcasing both the vibrant pink of the Aurora Borealis and the early morning blue hour’s orange of sunrise, or a dilapidated turn-of-the-20th-century mine building, being taken back by nature, overgrown with vibrant greenery and wildflowers. I try to inspire onlookers to see beauty in both the obvious and the unusual.
Contact
wkabel@outlook.com
https://www.wandakabeleaston.com
