26 Years in the Making: My Journey from Hobbyist to Public Exhibition

We’ve all been there. You pour your heart into your craft, you post to the “void” of social media, you market until your fingers are tired, and yet… silence.

By early 2017, I was hit by a wall of creative exhaustion. Despite having turned my hobby into a business back in 2006, I felt like my work wasn’t being seen or appreciated. I was ready to pull back. But in the world of art, the breakthrough usually happens right after you feel like giving up.

The Call That Changed Everything

In March 2017, the silence was broken. I was selected to hold my first public photo exhibition at the iconic Telus Garden in downtown Vancouver.

This wasn’t just a gallery show with frames on a wall. This was a massive, curated slideshow on the building’s media wall—a giant, outward-facing screen that turned the heart of the city into my personal canvas.

24 Frames of British Columbia

The curators selected 24 of my best works. Seeing my photography at that scale was a transformative experience. The collection was a journey through the textures of our province:

The Micro World: Detailed macro shots of dragonflies and the velvet-like petals of local flora.
The Abstract: Playing with light, bokeh, and geometric shadows.
The Scale of Nature: Silhouetted tankers at sunset in English Bay and the vast BC landscapes.

Why This Mattered

Beyond the exposure, this exhibition was a spiritual “reset.” It reminded me why I picked up a camera in 1991. Photography isn’t just about the “likes” on a screen; it’s about capturing a moment of light and sharing a specific perspective with the world.

For two weeks, commuters, tourists, and locals saw the world through my lens. The energy and inspiration that returned to me during those two weeks are what keep me shooting today.

To my fellow artists: If you are in a season of “lows,” keep creating. Your best work is often born from the moments you decide to keep going when you most want to stop.

Let’s Look Back

Looking at these images now, I still feel that same rush of gratitude. Whether it’s the vibrant blue of a dragonfly’s eye or the golden glow of a Vancouver sunset, there is always something worth capturing.