Spirit Line

Alex Graff

Spirit Line is a series inspired by the natural balance of chaos within the coastal mountains and the ocean along British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky. These illustrations embody life, loss, and change, not only in the environment but within oneself. Each drawing offers a window into the inner peace found in surrendering to nature, allowing it to guide you where you need to be while continuing to push forward through uncertain times.

Drawing from tarot, natural phenomena found in BC, and the legends of the land, each piece carries a part of my own adventures and spirit, woven into every pencil and brushstroke. Although the project was executed over a matter of months during my final year at Emily Carr, it had been forming in my mind for years, finally taking shape on paper after a series of formative experiences, all rooted in the spirit of the land I call home.

My work begins with research, personal experience, and a series of thumbnail sketches. As I gather these elements, they gradually form the skeleton of the piece. Once the imagery, composition, and colours are established, I begin building the flesh of the work with paint. From there, I add layers of pencil crayon, working with the fluid marks left by the watercolour on the paper. I build, conceal, and amplify what is already there until it feels complete.

I stop only when my energy feels depleted, when it feels as though my soul has been transferred and intertwined with the paper. A piece of me always lives within my work. It’s in that emptiness that I know I’m finished, and that the piece is ready to be viewed. That same emptiness, though, doesn’t end with me, it becomes something new for others. It sparks life and inspiration in those who experience the work, and in time, that energy finds its way back to me. It’s a constant cycle of depletion and renewal, of giving and being inspired all over again.