The Gibsons Art & Words Festival is an annual celebration where local writers and visual artists collaborate to create original works, presented through exhibitions, readings, and workshops at the Gibson’s Public Market.
2025
Title: A Conversation With Cleo
Dimensions: 19.75” x 19.75” x 3”
Medium: Acrylic and found objects on wood
Description: This interactive art installation features a medical bag that opens to reveal a collection of relics representing stories and themes from Marion's book. Inside are items such as a vintage map of the Cariboo, photos from her life on the family farm, and a tribute to the family pig, Cleo. While Marion’s autobiography centers on her experiences as a nurse in rural BC, it also explores the intricate balance of family life—managing a farm, raising children, and practicing nursing. This piece was particularly inspired by a story she shared about Cleo giving birth to a litter of piglets, and the extraordinary bond between the pig and her daughter—a connection so strong, it was as if they could truly understand each other.
2026
Title: Florence Wilson: A Life In 3 Acts
Dimensions: 20” x 20”
Medium: Mixed media (acrylic and gold leaf on wood)
Description: Created in support of Marion Crook’s novel Bloomsbury to Barkerville, this lenticular painting unfolds as a three-act optical illusion—an homage to Florence Wilson’s lifelong passion for theatre.
ACT I
The left image features a rose du roi—one of Florence’s favourites—painted over a collage of her writings from Household Words, the literary journal published by Charles Dickens. This panel evokes her early life in London: a cosmopolitan world of debutante gatherings, theatre, ornate gardens, and vibrant cultural life.
ACT II
The central panel marks Florence’s move to northern British Columbia. Painted over a collage of authentic late-1800s North Cariboo maps, it features an artistic interpretation of moccasins—likely worn and traded during the period, as referenced in the book—alongside wild blueberries native to the region. Together, these elements reflect her life in Barkerville during the Cariboo Gold Rush, when she pursued financial independence through gold mining ventures and commerce.
ACT III
The right-hand image presents a bundle of grapes set against a glowing sunset, symbolizing Florence’s final chapter in Napa Valley, where she embraced yet another new venture: owning a vineyard. Within the sky, a subtle rising phoenix emerges—a quiet tribute to her resilience and determination as a fearless, unconventional 19th-century woman who challenged social norms and continually remade her life.
