Andres Solorzano Lopez
Hearing the title ‘This Land’ made me think about the mass industries that are taking over our forests and oceans, polluting our skies, and more. This picture shows the possibility of the world getting taken over by factories. I want people to look at this picture and use it as a warning of what could happen in the future and to appreciate, protect, and care about our beautiful world.
Brendon Jackson
I approach Wildlife photography by finding where a certain species of birds or wildlife are, and set a goal of what I want to get a photo of (Is it flying, sitting, or eating?), then I go to different parks or forests where they are. I took this photo a few years ago at Cherry Hill Gate at Royal Botanical Gardens, this cardinal approached me and my brother and at the time there was a lot of feeding which caused the cardinal to expect to be fed. It relates to the theme of the land because it is at an animal conservatory that helps animals and species. Given the dangers of climate change, it is something we need.
Briana Szigeti-Jonasson
Mount Peace
To me, photography is a way to explore different worlds. Each photo tells a different story, and the story is different for every person because we all have a unique way of looking at things. I love to take different pictures of nature and people. In this picture, I love how it is set out with the mountains, the sky, and the bridge. When I was walking down the path it was dark but then it opened to the bridge and at that moment, I felt peace. Peace of mind, body, and in my soul. At that moment I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders and I felt free. I want people to find the place that makes you feel like your best self. On this land, I felt at home, and I felt peace, I felt free.
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Chand Masih
This is my work for this year's theme "This Land." I'm really interested in Landscape Photography and my favourite part in this is covering the trees in different angles and representing them in unique styles and ways. I also love to work with colors, shapes, lines, and textures as you can see in it the different colors and textures of the sky and the branches of the tree. With this work, I hope that viewers are reminded of the beauty of the nature and remember how calm and relaxed we feel when we been around the nature.
Ethan Neudorf
Their Land
I care a lot about the environment, taking care of it and being respectful to it. When I’m out in nature I feel more relaxed and connected to the land. Some of my favourite photos to take are ones that are out in nature. I enjoy taking photos in nature because I like capturing the way it makes me feel and I find it beautiful. So, to me “This Land” means nature, and I believe it belongs to us and all the other animals that inhabit it. All the animals in my photo belong to this land, the clear ones are animals that are still here, and the ghostly ones are animals that should be here but got driven away by us. When people look at my art, I want it to make them realize that we have to share this land and take care of it. This land belongs to the Greater Prairie Chicken just as much as it belongs to us.
Jesse Hiss
Sock hop, hand jive, London bridge is falling. Move It or lose it. Anyone can dance, everyone should dance. A collective of people moving in synchronization like a bee colony, were all connected by our hive mind. Everyone all dolled up, in costume, almost as if it were a masquerade. The people inhabiting this land are what make it special. I like capturing photos of people in their natural habitat, when they’re not expecting the picture to be taken. I used a low vantage point to catch some fancy footwork with the camera. These dances reveal the truth about teens. This land of youths.
Jacob Bowerbank
“Passing Through”
My photography is about capturing a moment and sharing it with other people. I’m still finding the theme of my photography overall, but I’m interested in nature, street photography, and urban scenes. This was my second attempt at a long exposure. My goal was to improve on my first try now that I have more technical knowledge and could set up the camera properly. This is a picture of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, a highway that passes through the Hamilton Mountain. While I’m happy that I was able to create this artwork in this location, I couldn’t help thinking about what the highway took away.
Nyah Hincks
“My Home”
Eleven years of exploring the world with my best friend. In this image I see the serenity and calmness after a storm. The theme of 'This Land’ reminds me that, no matter how far apart we are, this land will always be home. My home. I took this picture to represent us and that. No matter what, we will always have this spot, this piece of land to come back to and know, that in the end, nothing can take that away from us. Remembering this land that we grew up on, where I met my best friend, the land that will always be
Sarah General
Our Land
When I first heard the theme “This Land” my first thought was my culture and nature. I’m Indigenous and in our culture nature is special. I knew I wanted to incorporate nature and my culture somehow and I did that by making a painting. I chose to make this painting because I wanted to show the connection that we can have with nature. When you pay close attention to the streets and the oceans you can see a lot of trash and graffiti. I did the painting on a square canvas then I took at picture of it. After I took the picture, I edited it a bit in Photoshop Lightroom then in the Sketchbook app. I would like people to look at this painting and take the time to appreciate and care about nature and the land we live on.
Sophie McPhee
“Fog”
I’ve always been interested in photography, specifically photos that really make you feel something. For myself and many others, the past few years have been difficult. There’s been sudden changes, and the future has seemed unclear. I want my photo to represent this without having any people in it, because I think it’s really powerful when an image can do that. I want my photo to represent feelings of uncertainty and emptiness, as I’m sure it’s something many people can connect with.
Ajete Feta
The things that inspire me in art pieces are the different varieties of colours that are combined to make that artwork look like what it is supposed to.
I enjoy seeing the warm and cold colours being combined to make an art piece look outstandingly good and eye-catching.
I would like my painting to relate to the northern lights In the Northwest Territories, It's been a dream of mine ever since I was little to visit that place.
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Ella Dalton
I took this great photo of a street view. I like to capture pretty much anything I do and everywhere I go for the memories and to take nice photography. My image describes ‘This Land’ by showing people doing normal everyday life things, like getting to places like everyone else on this land may do.
Elizabeth Palacios
This painting reminds me of how small we are compared to how big our world is. It reminds me of how much land and water we have. This land is truly amazing.
Faith Weller
I enjoy photography because it allows me to capture the beauty of the scenery and the parts of nature that I enjoy. I chose to photograph this specific image because I feel that nature is a big part of this land we call Canada; and the maple leaf in particular, is our national symbol. I feel that with this photograph I captured change, as you can see in the changing colours of the leaves, as the seasons change.
Jamie Fortier
I chose to draw a nighttime Tokyo cityscape because I love the Japanese culture, the people, and I just believe that Japan is the most beautiful country. My favourite city in Japan is Tokyo because of all the fun activities and the great themed restaurants. I’d love to visit someday and experience the amazing culture that is Tokyo, Japan.
Miranda Mercier-Hill
The environment and the sky can mean so much. All seasons are beautiful in their own way. You just have to realize it and capture its own unique beauty.
Sabastian Ordonex
Cartoon and non-realistic art are often my preferred styles, usually from games or other media. However; I am able to make semi-realistic art when weeks of focus are put into what would be something that a week or 2 before, would be described as a cartoon drawing at best. This piece had gone through many iterations; it was initially laid out on paper, before moving to digital to be finalized. I created this piece based on the idea that our land has two sides, nature and the city. Each could exist without the other but; they can co-exist and maybe even thrive, when both are equal. I would like the viewer to walk away with the idea of balance; everything has it and so should we, physically and mentally.
Sarah Shaw
Reflections are constant yet fleeting. They are the world painting itself: warped, chaotic, and unpredictable. Photographing water examines how the subjects of everyday life can turn and twist in spontaneous ripples, portraying entropy’s undulating flow. I love how in a matter of seconds, water can dramatically shift its reflections, so that what once appeared to be the straight and proper branches of a tree suddenly cascade into a rolling kaleidoscope. My goal is to capture these dancing distortions with each and all their graceful waves.
Seema Salem
In this photo, I tried to reflect the way I see and feel about downtown Hamilton. I combined digital drawing with photography and I used dull colours to fill in the areas that I wanted to appear unreal. I also manipulated the exposure, contrast, shadows and highlights in the photo to emphasize this dull, grey mood that I feel pervades Hamilton’s downtown. However, there is also much beauty throughout our city, our land, although it is not visible to anyone that has not ventured far beyond this area.
Syris St. Pierre
Night Light
Empty streets and quiet nights are when we are able to see our land in its best light. When we are alone we can appreciate the usually bustling streets; on our own, without anything in the way. The most calming part of the day is at night when no one is around. This is the feeling that I aimed to capture in my photo.
Taeya Thompson
I am the type of person that wants my artwork to create change for the betterment of others and the world around us. My artwork aims to allow people to feel represented or heard. Being a voice for certain issues or topics is needed to see true change in things we feel passionate about.
The environment is what really inspired me to create this collage. When looking at the world we live in today, it’s hard not to be aware of the amount of pollution around us. People like to ignore the fact that there is a global climate crisis, and this project was the perfect opportunity to shed a light on this.
The takeaway I would like to leave people with is that the Earth cannot fix itself, we need to be the ones to take action. I want my artwork to inspire others to think about the effects of climate change, and what they can do to make a positive impact on the future of our planet.
Tu Pham
She has struggled with her mental health - anxiety and heavy stress from work, family, relationship... She had a challenging time sharing with her partner as well as her parents. This tension caused her smile to fade away for a long time. Her life was black and white, until the day she met her imaginary cats. Their positive energy, cuteness, and silliness made her smile return again, day by day. They saved her from loneliness and filled her with joy. This Land, This Road is where she found her feline life savers. Today, the road had filled with hundreds of the loveliest blooming flowers. It is where she visits again and again to find happiness and pleasure. The golden rays of the sun remind her that there is still so much hope on her path. She will believe in herself again, when the sky gets darker. Believe in yourself, one more time, when life gets tougher.
Adam Costa Lazar
“Sunny Days Ahead”
I've always been interested in nature and wanted a way to capture the special moments and good days so that I could look back at them, instead of just relying on memory.
What inspired me to try photography would be my Nana when she first showed me her camera many years ago. The photos she took intrigued me, and I wanted to try it for myself. Over the years I've taken photos of special moments to capture good memories and keep them in a folder on my phone so that I can enjoy them at any time.
I started to think about the theme, “This Land” and I figured I could use some of the photos I took recently, use some ideas I've thought about, and put them together to make an art piece for Flash Forward. The message of this artwork is “Enjoy life even at its darkest times.”
Ainsley Connors
The work I do means a lot to me and I hope it can mean a lot to other people too. The reason my work means a lot to me is because I find everything moves so fast! Last I knew, I was just starting high school and now I only have about a year left until I graduate. Taking all the photos I have and using the things I’ve learned helps me stop time for a few moments, and just appreciate all of everything. This is why I like trying to capture as many of the smaller details as possible.
I hope my photos will help people realize that stopping for just a moment can mean so much. It's okay to take a break from whatever busy schedule we all call life because if you don’t, you could; and probably will, miss out on some great moments with friends, family, and loved ones. So, remind yourself to stop, take a breath and look around. You could see something really wonderful.
Alethea Dames
“Dream to Land”
My approach to photography is to try to create something unique, different and special. I see photography as a way to express your emotions and qualities through the images you create so you can show your family, friends, and people around the world; but also have these moments to look back at when you are old.
My friend inspired me to create this image. When I took this picture for her, I saw more than just a girl sitting there reading a book and listening to music: it was like she was in her own world. My work connects to this year’s Flash Forward theme because on this land you need a friend for many reasons and most people love listening to or making
music. Most of all, the earth simplifies the idea of this land, and from space, you can see lots of land, and we are barely visible. Throughout the whole project, my photography skills were tested and I was constantly learning new techniques and lessons.
Austin Hollett
"If The Land Was Sold”
My approach to photography is to try to learn the value of a picture. What inspired me was home. Home comforts me and it reminds me of how in old pictures, it was all land with no buildings or cars - just trees and fresh green land.
I often visit Brantford where there are barely any cars - compared to Hamilton where you see cars almost every second - and without the factories, the air is so much better.
Cassidy Gurman
“Orange Captured”
My inspiration for this project came from my love of skyscape art. One thing I love about it is how the sky I capture one day will look completely different than the one I see next. The intensity of the colours, as well as the shape of the clouds, will never look the same as they had before, which I think is cool. But no matter the visual changes it will go through from time to time, the influence it has on us all will always be the same. It can be the driving force of an artist's piece of work that day, the reason that brings communities together, or something that allows us to fully appreciate the beauty of nature.
In selecting this final photograph, I noticed that I captured more than just the sky. Although the sky was where I started, in my image I captured the landscape – a roadway and carnival covering up what would be nature. I began to see how humans can use the land as a playground – underneath the beauty of the creations of the sky.
Dexter Hudecki
Hamilton Light
In my photography I like to find that different angle and/or light. I take my time with the photos I take trying to find the right angle and texture.
I really like the setting for this picture. The colour of it was just so different and interesting, almost like a fallout. From the trees to the tall building and the bright pink, everything clashes but in such a good way. In some ways, it feels like the sky and plants are so alive. Everything seems so in harmony and perfect the way it all fits together.
Karmandi Lamers
“A Feast of Friends”
When I look at this photo, I get a great sense of togetherness and warmth. All of the girls in one bed, sharing moments together, I think represents ‘This Land’ more than anything: being together on this land and sharing our best moments with one another.
I like to think that each girl in this photo represents different provinces in this country and they each have their own thing going on. The bed represents the land and the culture bringing us all together where we can all have a little look into each other's lives.
Lexie Cameron
“Inverted View”
Photography has always appealed to me, so now I essentially take photos almost every time I go out. I love doing art and this is just another kind of art form to me.
My approach with this theme was to take a photo with it being very sunny out; but because it’s winter, I thought I would include something with snow to show the season. What inspired me to take this photo was that this area stood out to me and it was snowing. I wanted to show the snow by the trees and the ground that didn’t have it, so it has this shine to it on the one side.
The message of the photo is to show how you can see something from a different point of view. It connects to the theme This Land because I wanted to take a picture of nature.
Lidice Guerrero
“Aquella Indita”
I represent my country wherever I go. I am proud of my roots, I am proud of where I come from, I am Nicaraguan. When I think about “This Land” I think of the land where I was born, the land that saw me grow up, the land that gave me distinctive features such as my skin colour and the shape of my face. After thinking about it, I concluded that for this project I would take a photograph that showed a little bit of my culture. My Photograph is named “Aquella Indita”, which translates to “that little Indian girl”. Aquella Indita is the name of a cultural dance from my country. I wanted everything from this project to reflect my culture. From the name of the photograph to the content itself. I believe my photograph really shows a little bit of myself. The traditional costume I am wearing has my country’s coat of arms in the skirt. I’m wearing the national flower, the Sacuanjoche on my hair as well as two traditional wool braids. I’d like for the viewers of my picture to see the beauty of my culture through this humble representation.
Nyomi Ramage
“Shining Waters”
I have created this piece “Shining Waters” because I wanted to capture something from our wonderful Gage Park greenhouse that will draw your attention to the subject. I chose this specific photo because the colours make the details on the leaves and surrounding area pop and the water looks magical. The photo relates to the theme “This Land” because it shows how beautiful our city and the things in it can be.
Sarah Young
"The Unknown”
I enjoy photography because I like trying new things and exploring the environment in different weather. In this photo it was a foggy and rainy day, and I thought the fog made this photo look mysterious. I like to take photographs that give a unique feeling and atmosphere. I like this photograph because it shows calmness and sadness in the photo at the same time. The image connects to the theme because I was focusing on capturing the landscape of this area together with the fog.
Serenity Thompson
“Our Land”
As a young black and native woman, I wanted to photograph "my world.” I knew I wanted to photograph downtown because I've always loved going downtown because there is always so much going on. I also wanted to photograph the Reservation I have known, been around, and driven by my whole life, and combine the two through editing. I have always been drawn to showing people the truth as I see it through my art. Something that I loved about doing this project was combining the many photos I took into one, because it's so different from seeing the images separately. With this photo I wanted people to see the different cultures in my finished photo and for it to tell a story. I struggled with choosing the right photos to combine because there were so many possibilities that could've made it an entirely different image. I chose these because I thought they went together and despite being all separate photos I think they connect to one another.