❛ ‎ The Friday Harbour art collection was conceived, developed and installed entirely during the surreal times of Covid. This had its added challenges, but we could not be more pleased with how everything came together beautifully.‎‎ ‎ ❜

— ‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Laura Wood

When Dawn and I launched Opus last August, I never imagined that we would be installing our very first art collection less than a year later!  Tight deadlines are definitely a challenge, but also so very rewarding.  Decisions are made quickly, there is no time for waffling, and the true art intent is achieved.  Over my years working as an art consultant, the art installation process has always been my favorite part of the job.  It's so unpredictable and I love having to think on my feet and come up with quick solutions to problems;  problems you always try to anticipate, but are so unique to each situation.  After over sixteen years installing in countless countries there's always at least one unforeseen puzzle to solve.

Our installation at the Lake Club of the Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort in Innisfil, Ontario was not without its challenges, but it went remarkably smoothly considering.  I have to say we were a little rusty, making a few key mistakes.  Like wearing heels for one... What was I thinking???  Forgetting our trusty art install kit that we developed over many, many years of installing was another oversight.  All of that aside, we loved every minute of it and are so pleased with how everything came together beautifully.  It's always a treat to work on a local project, especially one with a beautiful scenic drive like the trip up to Friday Harbour on Lake Simcoe.

I have never led an art installation that didn't have some sort of challenge to figure out.  We would always end up in some unique situation, like driving around the streets of Hong Kong looking for that one local framer who could work some fast magic, or trying to wrangle a massive, rudimentary t-frame into lowering a two-tonne rock sculpture without any missing fingers.  There were also the times we managed toxic fumes on site with actual gas masks, navigated betel nut stained stairwells and survived long hours without washrooms, and I couldn't have been happier.  My most memorable installations over the years have been in places where I have never been before, trying to come up with unique solutions to very creative problems.  So many lasting memories made.  I think for Friday Harbour I will remember these surreal times and all the added Covid challenges that had to be navigated.  This installation, quite fittingly, had a very dramatic ending.  It concluded with a lovely celebratory lunch on the patio of the Beach Club which was quite awesomely interrupted by tornado phone alerts and quite literally a tornado across the lake and into Innisfil and Barrie.  Dawn and I, not quite realizing how severe the situation was, got into our car and drove right through it.  We were very lucky.  The day afterwards, returning to site and seeing that one street over from where we had driven home, all the trees were flattened.  That is when it actually set in what we had so narrowly avoided.  So after one year together, I feel this adventure is just the first of many.  To driving through tornados with you Dawn!  I cannot wait to make more of these memories with Opus!

And, like the proud art consultants we are, I've included a few images of the art installed at the beautiful Lake Club!  We cannot wait to visit again soon!  (minus the tornados)