Nova Scotia’s famous lighthouses have saved many souls in the past. Now one local artist is doing her part to save the future of these important provincial icons.
“Over the years, I have been inspired by my yearly trips to Queensport in Guysborough County,” says Lyndia Baird-Wellwood, based in Hilden. “As I passed the lighthouse, I was overcome by the beauty of the deep blues of the ocean, the crisp white and red of the lighthouse, the ever-changing clouds, the rugged rocks, and the feeling of mystery surrounding the Queensport lighthouse. Who lived there? What was life like for the keepers over the years of protection they gave us?”
In March of 2010, Lyndia decided to act on this feeling of mystery and painted a watercolour portrait of the Queensport lighthouse. After completing a series of paintings, each from a different angle, she realized she was hooked on the beauty of lighthouses. Soon after, she contacted the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society (NSLPS) to learn more about the province’s lighthouses. She was saddened to learn they are in danger of being lost through neglect and environmental conditions as a result of being declared surplus by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in May 2010. A complete list of endangered lighthouses, called The Doomsday List, is available on the NSLPS website at www.nslps.com.
During the summer of 2010, Lyndia and two friends (Maureen and Katrina) drove around Nova Scotia, taking photos of lighthouses. Along the way, they met enthusiastic lovers of lighthouses who helped them get to islands and secluded coves. “The best part of our trip was the warm, genuinely caring new friends we met along the way,” says Lyndia. She then took these photos back to her home studio and began painting portraits of the lighthouses on The Doomsday List through the winter and spring of 2010-2011.
“I hope my art shows will draw attention to the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society”