Remember When…?

Bailey Ennig

When I was a kid, I spent many summer afternoons playing in Mission Creek Park. I would hike up and down the trails exploring every inch of the park. There were many bike rides through the various trails and adventures had. But the most memorable moment of my childhood there was designing home made boats and running beside them as they floated down the little streams. I would do this for hours grabbing it before it went to far just to sprint up stream to do it again. Mission Creek Park is the one place that most represents childhood to me.

Remember When...? is inspired by the times I spent in that park and my reflections of Mission Creek as an adult. This project comes in two parts. The first is a photo series depicting a home-made wooden boat referencing my childhood experiences in the park. This crafted vessel is photographed through out the park in various settings ending with the boat being left on the trail. The second part is the poem that I wrote which inspired the visuals of the photo series. The poetry is based on the observations and experiences I have had while in the park as an adult. My practice as an artist has been primarily exploring nostalgia and places of childhood. Remember When...? continues the exploring similar themes that I put into my 4th year grad film Nostalgia and my photobook Journey. I see this exhibition as an excellent avenue to continue that narrative that I have been working with throughout my artistic career.

Do you remember the dawn of the first spring?
It was our birthday. We are many, like the number of summers.
We are the communal forest. Our height will not fall.
We all harmoniously said goodbye to the dark winter.
Oh, how bright our future was. How — Do you remember the dawn of the first spring? It was our birthday. We are many, like the number of summers. We are the communal forest. Our height will not fall. We all harmoniously said goodbye to the dark winter. Oh, how bright our future was. How beautiful were these times. This is a place we are quite happy to just simply park.

Do you remember, years later, when our forest became a park?
It was a fresh and young season of spring.
It was hard for us to get used to the change of our home, but that time
of change did bring much joy to the children that visited. Summer
break is — Do you remember, years later, when our forest became a park? It was a fresh and young season of spring. It was hard for us to get used to the change of our home, but that time of change did bring much joy to the children that visited. Summer break is the only thing that brought bigger smiles. Winter was not a thought on anyone’s mind. That idea fell.

Do you remember our first fall
together? All the young children came under our branches before we were a park.
They used to huddle together on cold days before winter
stuck telling grand stories about how they sprung
along the untamed paths of the fo — Do you remember our first fall together? All the young children came under our branches before we were a park. They used to huddle together on cold days before winter stuck telling grand stories about how they sprung along the untamed paths of the forest. Although summer was over, being together was a wonderful way to spend our time. // Oh, do you also remember that time, that group of children came as fall started? They raced their homemade boats down the creek. It was as if summer break was still on, and children came and played in the park all the time. These moments brought us joy that sprung high even though we knew that the cold season was creeping closer. Winter

brought sad moments too. Especially last winter
when that couple spent their last moments
together with us. I don’t know what happened. Spring
came around but they did not. I hope they didn’t fall
out of love. All I could hear as they walked to the p — brought sad moments too. Especially last winter when that couple spent their last moments together with us. I don’t know what happened. Spring came around but they did not. I hope they didn’t fall out of love. All I could hear as they walked to the parking lot was the faint sounds of crying. I missed seeing them in the summer. Since we’re on the topic of summer, // Do you remember that day it was cold like winter? but it was just kids giving presents to their friend in the park But one present did not arrive on time. A father didn’t show up. This wasn’t the first them he fell off the attendance list. I think the last we saw him was in the spring?

Do you remember that time in the summer?
We figured out when we would all fall down and no longer be in the park.
It’s coming in the spring after this bitter, sad winter. — Do you remember that time in the summer? We figured out when we would all fall down and no longer be in the park. It’s coming in the spring after this bitter, sad winter.

Remember When…?

Savoured Moments

Nostalgia