ORIGINAL 12 x 9 in.
Sharpie on canvas, sealed with varnish        
 
BH Portraits

BH Portraits is a deeply personal series born from reflection, experimentation, and a desire to reconnect. Five years ago, I challenged myself to create one portrait a week for a year—52 in total—honouring former coworkers from White Rock Boathouse who left a lasting impression on me.

Using Sharpie on canvas, I explored line, shape, and colour to break down and reimagine the human face. These portraits became templates for future mosaic glass designs, allowing me to study expression, form, and emotion in a medium that was accessible, immediate, and repeatable.

The project began as a technical exercise to improve my mosaic skills, but it evolved into something more profound. After a decade away from that chapter of my life, the loss of a coworker reminded me how quickly time passes—and how deeply I missed those connections.

This past September, the White Rock Boathouse Restaurant closed its doors, with the chain shrinking from seven locations to just two. The ripple effect was immense. In the final weeks, many former staff returned to soak in the change—celebrating a place that fostered lifelong friendships, marriages, mentorships, and a culture that shaped us all. I’m forever grateful to have been part of it.

Glass is expensive and time-consuming, so this series became a way to practice portraiture with intention and consistency. It laid the foundation for the BH Style Portrait Technique I use today—bridging memory, experimentation, and growth.

This work marks a turning point in my practice, where introspection meets discipline, and where faces become vessels for practice, storytelling, healing, and transformation.
 
– Jessica Fairweather