Diners at the Burns Lake China Moon restaurant have recently been able to view two new paintings on the rear wall of the restaurant. They were both done by Jeffery Lam, who’s also at the restaurant this summer working for his parents.
The large paintings are works number three and four for Lam, after taking up painting seriously little over a year ago.
Lam, who goes into Grade 12 this fall in Vancouver at St. George’s School, took a course last year in art history and practice. During the course, Lam studied art history and began a course project inspired by the artists and their work he studied.
“I liked Degas’ impressionistic use of light. He used the contrast of colours and the subtle use of shadows to create depth and perception.”
His acrylic painting, ‘Forest Sonata’, currently hanging in the China Moon, was selected to be part of two student art exhibitions in Vancouver. Forest Sonata hung at Vancouver’s Pendulum Gallery and as part of a North Vancouver gallery showing of the Independent Schools Art exhibition.
Lam went to the Vancouver private school after attending Lakes District Secondary School for grades 8 and 9. His inspirations come from the world around him, the rich green hues of his paintings reflect a youth surrounded by the forests of the Lakes District.
“I live out on Francois Lake, and I catch a lot of the sunsets,” Lam said. “I’d like to do a piece on that. In the future I’m thinking of doing a study of the seasons and their affect on the arts.”
Despite showing early promise as a visual artist, Lam expects his art to remain a hobby.
“I want to go to medical school,” he said. “This is just a hobby; a good way to de-stress.”
Lam enjoys living in Vancouver during the school year for the opportunities it provides, but he hopes to return to Burns Lake at the eventual start of his career, to follow - even if only for a few years - in the footsteps of another inspiration from his earlier Burns Lake years.
“Growing up, my family doctor was Dr. Norman. I’ve always been inspired by his interactions with people within the community.”