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Light in the Forest
A message from Holly Carr

I originally created Light in the Forest as an art installation for the Acadia University Art Gallery. I used the experience to explore my then-young son’s anxiety and my own childhood fears, taking us into the dark, and ultimately finding our way back to the light using the forest and its inhabitants as a metaphor for facing and overcoming fear.

Years later, I revisited and re-imagined Light in the Forest after the heartbreaking multiple tragic events involving young people from our community. The idea was to shine a light on mental wellness through a theatrical experience filled with the message of hope and resilience.

In 2019, pre-pandemic, we launched the first Light in the Forest multimedia experience in Halifax. Who could have imagined what the world had in store for us? The message I had hoped to share was now even more important than ever.

Light in the Forest is the intersection of art, nature, and mental wellness. The project has evolved over the last few years: it is now a virtual world being piloted at Acadia University, an award-winning children’s book, an app in development, an educational program in development, a multimedia live art presentation, and now, a new multimedia presentation of my artwork animated by Jack Bateman, who was the original inspiration for Light in the Forest.

I am thankful to NSYO General Manager Jack Chen for making this program possible and for introducing me to L. Christopher Palmer, who composed a beautiful original score for my creatures and arranged it for the orchestra. It will be performed for the very first time by the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Greg Burton. Lydia Zimmer will bring the creatures alive through dance, and I will get in on the fun with some live painting.

As a child I was inspired by Mr. Dressup. His sweet-natured way of sharing stories, art, and music were always a soft place for me to land. I hope Light in the Forest is a soft place for you to land. We all go through dark times in our lives. The challenge is finding our way back into the light. Sometimes even the memory of experiencing the light can be enough to help you through the dark. Come into the forest on a journey with us. There is Light in the Forest, and you are not alone. 

Light in the Forest
A message from Holly Carr

I originally created Light in the Forest as an art installation for the Acadia University Art Gallery. I used the experience to explore my then-young son’s anxiety and my own childhood fears, taking us into the dark, and ultimately finding our way back to the light using the forest and its inhabitants as a metaphor for facing and overcoming fear.

Years later, I revisited and re-imagined Light in the Forest after the heartbreaking multiple tragic events involving young people from our community. The idea was to shine a light on mental wellness through a theatrical experience filled with the message of hope and resilience.

In 2019, pre-pandemic, we launched the first Light in the Forest multimedia experience in Halifax. Who could have imagined what the world had in store for us? The message I had hoped to share was now even more important than ever.

Light in the Forest is the intersection of art, nature, and mental wellness. The project has evolved over the last few years: it is now a virtual world being piloted at Acadia University, an award-winning children’s book, an app in development, an educational program in development, a multimedia live art presentation, and now, a new multimedia presentation of my artwork animated by Jack Bateman, who was the original inspiration for Light in the Forest.

I am thankful to NSYO General Manager Jack Chen for making this program possible and for introducing me to L. Christopher Palmer, who composed a beautiful original score for my creatures and arranged it for the orchestra. It will be performed for the very first time by the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Greg Burton. Lydia Zimmer will bring the creatures alive through dance, and I will get in on the fun with some live painting.

As a child I was inspired by Mr. Dressup. His sweet-natured way of sharing stories, art, and music were always a soft place for me to land. I hope Light in the Forest is a soft place for you to land. We all go through dark times in our lives. The challenge is finding our way back into the light. Sometimes even the memory of experiencing the light can be enough to help you through the dark. Come into the forest on a journey with us. There is Light in the Forest, and you are not alone.