* Click on the small square thumbnails to view larger images
I made 'Earning you Tofino Badge' for twin son Sam. It's the most personal piece I've created. Every element has a direct reference to Sam's life growing up in Tofino. The piece began with the paddles, which I came across while cleaning our crawl space. They took me back in time, as a young dad helping Sam and Jess etch their names onto the paddle blades. Those memories brought back others,and I soon had a smorgasboard of highlights from Sam's childhood - surfing, fishing, hanging with Jess, Surf Canada team photographer, first job (Live to Surf), banding Oystercatchers, Hornby Is harlequin ducks, beer pong, ball hockey, skate boarding, baseball, and of course, his time on the Tofino Synchronized Swim Team. With those as inspiration, I dove into my pile of material and eventually surfaced with the crazy assortment of objects I included in the piece.
Once I had the piecel laid out, I was a bit unsure about the tear drop shape until son Jess said it reminded him of the badges he and Sam use to earn at Beavers. That solved that concern and also provided the perfect title - 'Earning your Tofino Badge.'
There's more there than meets the eye, so I know Sam will enjoy some deep diving into the piece. I hope seeing his life in garbage will provide many smiles down the road.