CAROL HAIGH, Ian Tan Gallery, Vancouver

Ian Tan Gallery, Vancouver

By Janet Nicol

Carol Haigh grew up on Salt Spring Island and has been sailing since she was a girl, so her love of the ocean and sky has found its way into her acrylic paintings. “My images may come from what I see walking,” Haigh says. “I look for a particular moment, when I’m trying to find the perfect image to paint. It could be the break as the waves are coming to the shore. I take photographs and use them as a starting point. The photos are a handy tool for detail and color, and I work out the composition from that.” Haigh has been painting for 24 years, and each of her photo-realistic works takes six weeks to two months to complete. While the BC coastline is a never-ending source of inspiration, Haigh is well-travelled. “The colors of the ocean are different, but the feeling is the same,” she says. “The ocean and sky are constantly changing.” And after years of observing and painting, she says capturing the natural world is an endless challenge. “I’m still learning how to paint them. I'm trying to get the feel of water, so you feel you're there.”