‘A way to preserve memories’: artists who make portraits of houses, pets lost in forest fires

For artist Laura Silva, it is not just a commissioned portrait of a house, it is an emotionally charged artistic symbol of a cherished memory.

Silva is one of 25 artists who volunteered to create art for those who lost homes, pets and family heirlooms in a devastating wildfire that destroyed 150 homes in the Halifax communities of Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains last month.

Silva — who lives in the nearby community of Stillwater Lake and was forced to evacuate along with thousands of others on the evening of May 28 — said the initiative is a way to symbolize all that was lost.

“Not only do you lose your home, you lose the memories and the effort and time you put into that place to call it your home,” says Silva, 40, a full-time visual artist originally from Colombia. .

“We think our gift is a way to preserve memories… This is something they will carry with them forever now that they have nothing left.”

The project is the brainchild of local watercolor and pen artist Brynn Budden, who posted on her Instagram about her desire to create pieces for wildfire victims, and appealed to other artists who would like to do the same.

The response was overwhelming. While there are currently 25 artists working to create pieces for about 30 families, an additional 15 artists are on standby should demand increase.

They offer a range of styles — watercolor, acrylic, canvas, and embroidery, to name a few — and they’ll work to create a variety of keepsakes, including portraits of homes and pets that died in the fire.

Silva, who does realistic drawings, said she is working on creating a portrait of a homeowner’s deceased mother, as all the heirlooms were lost in the fast-moving fire.

“She has nothing from her mother, so I think it’s a nice way to give her something,” says Silva, who is also painting a portrait of a yellow house, which she was drawn to because her own home yellow.

Becky Arsenault, who works in public affairs and communications but creates art in her spare time, said the initiative speaks to the spirit of Nova Scotians.

“When major tragedies like this happen, we tend to look at it and say, ‘I want help. What can I do to make the community feel better and help them heal?'” Arsenault said.

“I think the hope is that you give them back a little piece of something they lost… a little piece of what they had in that house with their loved ones and a memory that they can look back on and say, ‘This is the place I had before, and I will rebuild, but this is what I lost.'”

The 34-year-old noted that while there are currently 30 projects underway, about 50 people have reached out – some of whom are unknowingly duplicating requests from other friends, family or homeowners.

“It really comes from a place of love and that person is taken care of,” said Arsenault, who signed on to do four watercolor house portraits.

“There were a lot of people who didn’t have a chance to go home and collect what they wanted or needed and so the emotions are pretty high…I think it’s going to take a long time to get that community back in the state in which she was.”

The artists will work on their pieces over the summer and eventually plan to hold a community pickup event to meet the homeowners and each other – since most of the artists don’t know each other personally.

Silva said she is grateful to be part of such an amazing group of like-minded artists.

“It’s a good way to give back to the community and meet other artists, help each other and support each other,” she said.

“They all have good hearts.”