In May of 2016 my wife and I moved into our new home in the Harrison area with great excitement of learning about this wonderful world of lakes and trees and mountains. I knew nothing of this area save for the Hot Springs but my wife did all the research and assured me this was the place. I was busy packing up the old house and dealing with my career. I trusted her, she was right, it’s amazing here.
On May 28th, John Willison Green died in Chilliwack, at the age of 89. I read a tribute to him in the local paper and was intrigued. He lived a hell of a life. He had been major player out here, owned and operated the local paper and was one of the leading Bigfoot researchers in the world. He contributed sooo much to this area, read the article I linked to for yourself and see. I just missed him but his legacy lasts. But then there was this Bigfoot thing…
My wife suggested I enter a submission to a local art gallery show for the public, at the Harrison Hot Springs Ranger Station Art Gallery to be precise. I decided I wanted to create a piece that reflected the area’s history and have a good back story. I wanted the piece to need research. I love research. And John’s work with Bigfoot was stuck in my mind, and to be honest around here with all the tourist marketing, it’s hard to forget Bigfoot.
So I started with data, I dug around the internets and was able to get a copy of John’s Microsoft Access database of the sightings he recorded.
I also discovered his physical files were on display at the local Kilby Historic Museum that he helped be declared as a historical site by the province, and served as president of the museum society for a decade.
Then I had to learn how to convert old long lat gps data to new Google map friendly gps. Almost 100 years of data here.
Then I mix that map with government water maps.
Then I cut it into a million little pieces
And then I make Bigfoot feet stickers.
This is my submission to the Harrison Hot Springs Ranger Station Art Gallery. It is called “Green’s Sightings”.
And with this, things started to get serious. Now I was officially hooked. Actually more like infected with Bigfoot Fever. But what really really put me over the edge was sitting in a local bar with my wife and as we are waiting for our cold beer and fish & chips she says “look up!”. And there hanging on the wall above our table is an amazing set of plaster casts. Now it’s official, I have to find those feet!