Artists Statement:
The landscape I have been responding to during the last nine months is that of Alberta, particularly since its rapid changes and extreme conditions seem to get beneath my outer layers ...Among my many observations of the attitudes and areas here in Calgary, I find much comic relief in the geography of this province. The map actually looks like a pair of folded underpants! It felt right for me to explore some aspects of my `exposure' to Calgarians through a new technique I was introduced to here - the Polaroid transfer. Allowing and exploring it's variations also reflects the unpredictability I've experienced and sought within my private landscape.

Artists Statement:
Coal is a fossil fuel. It is the most abundant of the conventional hydrocarbon resources. There have been two major periods of coal formation: Carboniferous to early Triassic (345-200 million years ago) and Late Jurassic to early Tertiary (150-50 million years ago). The fossilised plant remains of the Carboniferous and the younger Mesozoic coals suggests that they were formed in tropical swamps, with giant ferns, shrubs, vines, trees and algae that grew and then fell into decay. The resulting organic matter was accumulated in the layers at the bottom of swamps, where aerobic bacteria decomposed it. It takes about 10 metres of plant debris to produce 1 metre of coal.
The existence of tropically derived coals in the northern latitudes was due to continental drift, with the coals being produced when the host continents were close to the equator. They have subsequently drifted to their current latitudes, well north of the equator.
Darwin's theory of natural selection suggests that each species will attempt to alter its environment to suit and promote its own existence. Rain forests are best suited in tropical environments and so they would prefer a world that was far hotter and wetter at all latitudes.
Today, 57% of all the electric power generated from fossil fuels comes from coal. Burning of hydrocarbons or coal is the reverse of photosynthesis. The major environmental concern is the emission of sulphur dioxide (which creates acid rain) and carbon dioxide (which is a green house gas that will promote global warming). The latter emission will increase the average temperature of the world at all latitudes.
"Rainforest Memories" underpins the concept that the ghosts of past rain forests are promoting an environment that is more suitable to the existence of its species. We human beings may therefore be mere pawns in this much grander scheme!

Artists Statement:
"Wail-whale-wail, if it isn't little, red-nosed, whale-riding
Hood", said the big, bad, grenade-tipped Harpoon.
Wail - Still an honorable and murderous lot.
Whale, can you see the clown?
Wail - Still an honorable and treacherous lot.
Whale, can you see the clown's fin eyes?
Wail - Still an honorable and deceiving lot.
Whale, can you see the clown's global face?
Wail - Still an honorable and cunning lot.
Whale, can you see beyond the obvious?
Wail - Still an honorable and lying lot.
Whale, can you now see the Kabuki Clown?
"Whale-whale-wail, if it isn't little, red-nosed, whale-riding
Hood", said the big, bad, grenade-tipped Harpoon.
Wail. Whale. Wail.