'A way to preservememories': Artists creating portraits of homes, pets lost in wildfire

For artist Laura Silva, it's not just a commissioned portrait of a house it's an emotion-evokingartistic symbol of acherished memory.

Silva is one of 25 artists who have volunteered to create art for those who lost houses, pets and family heirlooms in adevastating wildfire that destroyed 150 homeslast month in the Halifax-area communities ofUpper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains.

Silva who lives in the nearby community of Stillwater Lake and was forced to evacuate along with thousands of others on the evening of May 28 said the initiative is a way to emblematizeall that was lost.

"You not only lose your house, you also lose the memories and the effort and time that you put into that place to call it home," said the 40-year-old Silva, a full-time fine artist who is originally from Columbia.

"We think our gift is a way to preservememories.... This is something that they will have with them forever now that they don't have anything."

The project is the brainchild of localwatercolour and fine line pen artist Brynn Budden, who posted on her Instagram about her desire to create pieces for victims of the wildfire, and put a call out for other artists who might wantto do the same.

The response was overwhelming. Although there are 25 artists currently working to create pieces forroughly 30 families, there are another 15 artists on standby if demand increases.

They boast a range of styles watercolour, acrylic, canvas andembroidery, to name a few and they'll be working to create a variety of keepsakes, including portraits of homes and pets who died in the blaze.

Silva, who does realistic drawings, said she is working to create a portrait of the late mother of a homeowner, since all heirlooms were lost in the fast-moving fire.

"She doesn'thave anything from her mom, so I think it's a nice way to give her something," said Silva, who is also creating a portrait of a yellow house, which she was drawn to because her own house is yellow.

BeckyArsenault, who works in public affairs and communications but creates art in her spare time, said the initiative speaks to the spirit of Nova Scotians.

"When big tragedies like this happen, we tend to look at it and say, 'I wanthelp. What can I do to help make the community feel better and to help them heal?'" saidArsenault.

"I think the hope is that you give them back a little piece of something that they lost ...a little piece of what they had in that home with their loved ones and a memory they can look back on and say, 'This is the place I had before, and I'll rebuild, but this is what I lost.'"

The 34-year-oldnoted that although there are currently30 projects underway, about 50 people have reached out some of whom wereunknowingly duplicatingrequests from other friends, family or homeowners.

"It really comes from a place of love and that person being cared for," saidArsenault, who has signed up tocreate four watercolour house portraits.

"There werelots of people that didn't have the opportunity to go home and collect what they wanted or needed and so it's pretty high emotions.... I think it's going to be a long timegetting that community back to the state it was."

The artists will spend the summer working on their pieces and eventually plan to hold a community pickup event to meet the homeowners and each other since most of the artists do not know each other personally.

Silva said she feels grateful to be part of such an amazing group of like-minded artists.

"It's a good way to give back to the community and meet other artists, help each other and support each other," she said.

"They all have a good heart."