Welcome
"penstock one"
Heather Hughson has created a series of images as an homage to the engineering marvel of the "penstocks" that were recently removed from the BC Hydro site at Elk Falls, Campbell River. These long wooden “barrels” are covered in tar paper and banded to create a watertight seal. Time has caused the paper to age and curl, growing thick with moss and lichens. The colours are subdued but still saturated with dynamic life. This series explores the harmonious patterns and relationships created by the industrial-sized fasteners that bend down and around the structure of the penstocks. The curves and arching lines suggest passing time coupled with stillness. The linear repetition creates rhythms, loosely controlled within a balanced and proportional whole, that serves to link the past with the present. “It was the immensity of them that first caught my attention,” suggests Hughson. “It wasn’t until I examined them more closely that I became fascinated by their individuality.” They have a beauty that belies their function and industrial history.
penstock ... an intimate study by Heather Hughson
images available in various sizes and mediums (including printing on acrylic or aluminum)