Our Neighbour Bessie North

Laura Siddiqui

 

March 4th to March 29th, 2009

Opening – March 5th, 2009  6-9 pm

 

When I was a little girl, one of the highlights of my life in Canning, Nova Scotia was when my neighbour, Bessie Amelia North, would come over to baby-sit my sisters and me. As I grew older, I realized how important Bessie was to the community. She was born and raised in the brown house across the street, and lived 87 of her 88 years there. Bessie was many things to many people: baby sitter, teacher (for she used to be a school mistress in the one-room school houses around the area), adviser, and entertainer just to name a few. She was always doing small kindnesses for others, and as she got older we took care of her like our own family. With my photographs I hope to share my memories of an extraordinary person, to give a sense of who she was through her house and belongings, and through shared stories.

 

Laura Siddiqui graduated from NSCAD University in 2004, with her major in photography. Her photos concentrate on the vernacular: on everyday things and occurrences. She enjoys telling stories with her work, to try and connect with the viewer through shared experiences.