Becky Comber’s photo-based practice is inspired by conscientious observation of the wilderness of the large forested acreage that she shares with her family, and the place where she lives and works. As she comments, “I am working to more fully understand the responsibility of becoming a steward to [this] parcel of wilderness. It is important to observe it closely and I am endlessly inspired by the constant state of change that comes from living in an ecosystem of constantly evolving seasons.”

The pictures shown here are Becky’s documentation during the first month[s] of the year, “depicting the winter’s hold on the forest, draping it in white.” She shares that skiing to the studio and around the trails has become her favourite way to interact with the forest at this time as she glides peacefully through the landscape.

Creation of Becky Comber’s hand-cut photographic works involve a laborious process by which she physically separates the foreground subject matter from the background. The results of her exacting efforts demonstrate a concentrated appreciation for the intricate complexity and beauty of these natural forms. The process necessitates many focused hours in the studio, and an ever-present question of what to do with the scrap pile…

Artist Becky Comber employs a multi-layered process for the creation of the works presented in her current solo-exhibition. Each unique work is an assembly of component images sourced from photographs she takes in the natural environment around her home. Illustrating the process here for one of her pieces from the ‘12 Seasons’ series, ‘January’, Becky started with a photoshoot taken within a particularly chosen locale. She then worked to detach select parts of those images in Photoshop to digitally construct the final image that was printed in a larger scale. In the Smokestack Digital Studio, Becky worked with printmaker Jonathan Groeneweg to find just the right kind of paper to print the image on; paper that offered a superior image quality and strength to handle the mounting process while also being thin enough for Becky to cut out as an original work of art.

The works included in “12 Seasons”, and Becky’s artistic practice as a whole, reflect her equal love for art making and the natural environment that informs her work. Through her close observation and considered documentation of nature – both its large-scale seasonal cycles and smaller, often unnoticed intricacies – she has developed a personally significant, and respectful relationship with the land as a conscientious steward and passionate advocate for its care and sustainability.