Last evening, I went out for a walk with my camera. Inspired by the first meaningful snowfall of the season, I wanted to capture the snow as it covered up the dirty streets of Toronto.
For much of the past decade, I have been making photographs in and around this city. At first, it was my way of discovering my new home. Then, maybe, it became habitual. It provided me time to rediscover an art form I have enjoyed my entire life. I worked professionally in the newspaper industry through the ‘80s and ‘90s. The camera was a prolific partner long before that.
I know that in the coming days and weeks I’ll be looking at this city a little differently. Mid-January I will be leaving Toronto and returning to Winnipeg, where I have spent a good portion of my life. Each time I now venture out onto city streets, I know I am taking my final steps here.
I ended up, last night, in St. James Park. It is a park that has come very familiar to me. With its well-tended gardens and magnificent trees, it has become part of my landscape. Who knows how many days I have sat with my sketchbook or journal, photographed tulips or roses, or just relaxed under the trees with my morning coffee?
Last night, again, the trees captured my attention. The fading daylight and fresh snow provided stark contrast to the deep grey trunks and branches now stripped of greenery. With little light left in the day, I captured what I could. The images will be another reminder of my years in Toronto.
12/24/2024 j.g.l.
