Pickering Proud: Then, Now, Always

Artist Daniel Davis

This exhibit was commissioned by the City of Pickering. The final result is a series of images which tell the story of modern-day Pickering, with a homage to those who have settled here in 1811 to establish the great City we live in. These will take form online, in social media posts, and later on in public displays, community banners and signage.

Photo Gallery: Daniel Davis virtual exhibit will appear here on the public site.

Image Descriptions (in order of image rotation)

As a creative #PICKERINGPROUD to me means representing the City of Pickering wholeheartedly. It means adding to the local community and its culture without having to seek approval from the metropolis out west, or even believing you need to be anywhere but here to make your dreams come true. This image represents the heart of the City Centre. The City Hall which is accompanied by the Public Library is one of our more dominant landmarks. A place to live, work, play and inspire. The City of Pickering is a place I proudly call my home. ­                        

JURASSIC EAST UNITE
When we unite together, we overcome the greatest obstacles and achieve the greatest feats. We came together as a community, a city, a nation, to ultimately win the NBA finals. As a nation we were all a part of the “Jurassic Park” but out here in Pickering, presence of ‘Jurassic East” was felt. Our small community came out strong for several nights supporting the Toronto Raptors. A true once in a lifetime moment. I am grateful that I have been able to record this moment in time. It was the first time I witnessed something like this in our city. 

VIEWTACULAR
To further develop my experience as a creative, I created a photography project by the name of “Viewtacular”. It was an Instagram account which featured various images of different locations and events that took place within the City of Pickering, later advancing into something far greater than I could have ever imagined. Event’s such as the annual Rotary Ribfest have not only enabled me to become more precise with my abilities as a photographer, but have garnered quite a few opportunities.

FUTURISM
The Pedestrian Bridge, a sign of progress, achievement and the future of city development. It’s a dynamic piece architecture that I would consider our first modern futuristic landmark. The name of this piece is inspired by the Instagram user @futuredurham, who frequently promotes the varying developments taking place within the Durham region.

MEMORIAL
I have nothing but gratitude for the opportunities I have been presented with throughout my life. My professional chapter as a creative has its roots in Pickering and I owe that to the those who’ve shown me support along my journey, as well as those who fought for this wonderful country that we are all able to call home. We often overlook the efforts made by those before us but memorials such as these serve as crucial reminders. 

AFTER HOURS
Highlighting various landmarks, businesses and events throughout the City of Pickering is the driving force and inspiration behind my photography. I revisit locations frequently in hopes of discovering the “next best shot”. One beautiful winter evening I was graced with this wonderful capture an image of locals returning home from the daily commute. No one was in a hurry and the hues in the sky just had a calming vibe which made this image all the more magical.

CLOCKTOWER
Time is ticking, a constant reminder. Caught in a web like a fly to a spider.

SUNSET
After a long day, I like to find my way to the Pickering waterfront to collect a quick batch of images. One evening I captured this extraordinary image which inspired me to attempt a watercolor translation of my photographs. This is the final result. This image would later inspire all the images previously seen. This is by far my favourite edit image to date.

Artist Statement

"Establishing the future of the modern creative. That is my purpose. The City of Pickering is the catalyst of my inspiration. Over the course of three years, I have utilized my passion and skills as a photographer to highlight and engage, and educate the City of Pickering community. This has led to incredible opportunities for work, learning, play and inspiration to those around me. Most importantly, it has allowed for me to travel various parts of the region, fulfilling my need for travel and adventure.

Pickering has been my home for fifteen years. It will always have an important place in my heart. Living and working in Pickering has enabled me to see beyond my potential as an individual and inspired my will and determination as a thriving creative. For this reason, my work will tell the story of Pickering, then, now and always.

I will be creating approximately thirty (30) visual art pieces in total which will illustrate the various happenings within the Pickering community. Each piece will not only visually tell a story but will be captioned with an insider artist perspective.

The process begins by capturing digital photographs of the Pickering community and its culture. This will mainly encompass landscapes and key landmarks, along with a few portraits and events. These images were then processed in studio and later converted into digital watercolor images."