Looking Ahead to 2021

Client: The Walrus

AD: Meredith Holigroski

At the end of 2020, The Walrus invited four artists to share an illustration and written reflection on how the pandemic has shaped their hopes for the coming year.

Home by Jonathan Dyck

I grew up in southern Manitoba, and all I saw in front of me was gridded farmland. But spending so much time close to home is changing the way I think about the Prairies. I’ve hiked old trails, visited ghost towns, and learned about the trading sites that shaped this area before the Canadian government sent in its survey crews. I’m noticing the variations across farmers’ fields beyond their respective crops: the covered-over creek beds, the persistent patches of forest and scrub. And I’ve been bringing along my binoculars to keep track of the birds. I’m looking forward to my first full year of migration cycles.