Journeys to the Shore

Like so many others who grew up in Cape Breton, live here, or visit, Nancy McLean is drawn to the Island’s ever changing shores.

Part of the allure for McLean is watching waves emerge and travel to reach land, observing how each wave is unique in its form and movement as it creates its own distinct path to the shoreline.

Through her paintings, McLean strives to capture a moment in time, to attempt to still the constant movement, to delay the action, in order to appreciate the immediate form. She feels that watercolour is the perfect media to use for her images as it transparent, flows evenly, and can be spontaneous and unpredictable, just like the ocean itself.

Journey to the Shore represents a small sampling of McLean’s countless visits to Cape Breton’s coastlines, including Louisbourg, Kennington Cove, Inverness, Little River Harbour, Ingonish, and Cape Breton Highlands National Park.   

Join us for the opening reception of Journeys to the Shore by Nancy McLean on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the Centre’s Main Gallery. Journeys to the Shore will be on display until June 13, 2019.