MY WILDLIFE JOURNEY
GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST | CAROLE FINN
"I hope to inspire audiences not only to appreciate wildlife but to feel empowered to take action in preserving it."
As I began to focus seriously on my painting, I was searching for inspiration and a direction that felt meaningful to me. While visiting my grandson’s school in Oakville, Ontario, I watched a film called Spoil, produced by Pacific Wild. The film introduced me to the extraordinary Great Bear Rainforest on the coast of British Columbia and the threat it faced from proposed oil pipeline and tanker traffic through this pristine region. The film showed what could be lost through an oil spill—the ancient rainforest, its wildlife, marine life and the intricate ecosystem connecting them all.
I was deeply moved by what I saw. I wanted to understand this remarkable place for myself, so I travelled to the Great Bear Rainforest. What I experienced there became a defining moment in my development as a painter.
During this journey I met Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild, whose dedication to protecting the region deeply influenced me. The photographs he shared with me later became an important part of my painting process, together with my own photography, digital composition and imagination.
The Great Bear Rainforest changed the direction of my work. I began moving beyond landscapes to place the animals themselves at the centre of my paintings—creating work that connects wildlife, story and conservation