By Liz Toohey-Wiese
Liz Toohey-Wiese explores the complicated topic of wildfires and their connections to tourism, economy, grief, and renewal in her paintings. Whenever she can, she seeks to educate herself on forestry practices, the history of wildfire policy, climate change, and the urban/rural divide in British Columbia.
“Zeballos” was painted during an artist residency at the Sointula Art Shed in 2019. In speaking with locals about nearby wildfires, she heard about a wildfire in the summer of 2018 in the small town of Zeballos on the west coast of Vancouver Island. After the fire destabilized the slope above the town, most properties in the village were on evacuation order for over eight months. Through her artwork, Liz hopes to facilitate larger conversations around how the increased prevalence and intensity of forest fires affect both the landscape, and the people who live in it.
Bio
Liz Toohey-Wiese is an artist. Her work can be found on her website at www.liztoohey-wiese.com and on Instagram @liz2e.