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Rooted in his deep love for the Chilliwack Cascades, '
My Soul Lives in These Mountains' pays a heartfelt homage to artist and storyteller Peter Scott. As a boy, Peter was captivated by the mountain
peaks visible from his hometown in Sardis, B.C, and grew up in the shadows of some of the iconic mountain profiles of Mt. McGuire, Cheam and Slesse Peak. Raised with the traditional Stó lō stories from his uncle and local Elders, he cultivated
a deep respect for both the wild landscapes of his hometown as well as the deep-
rooted indigenous culture of the area.
Peter's artistic journey began with humble roots, inspired by Emily Carr, with his outdoor exploits receiving support and guidance from local mountain legends such as Neil Grainger. This book showcases his influences through paintings and poems that bring to life the vibrant wilderness of the Chilliwack River Valley and the various mountains peaks and wildlife it supports.
With sensory-rich descriptions that capture the sights, sounds, and spirit of the mountains, '
My Soul Lives in These Mountains' is more than a memoir. It is an evocative invitation to explore and connect with nature, seen through the eyes of someone who has not only traversed these paths but has also immortalized them in art and poetry. Peter Scott invites readers to wander, marvel, and cherish the wonders of the Chilliwack Cascades and help safeguard them for future generations.
About the author
Peter Scott was born in Chilliwack in 1956 and raised in Sardis. He grew up in the shadow of the Chilliwack Cascade Mountains, where he spent much of his youth hiking, camping, sketching and painting.
In 1977, he entered the faculty of education at the University of British Columbia and majored in art with a minor in geography. Peter studied art under the mentorship of the prominent Canadian painter Gordon Appelbe Smith, who helped Peter refine his impressionist style of landscape painting.
In 1978, the Chilliwack Search and Rescue, under the leadership of local mountaineer Neil Grainger and in partnership with the local RCMP detachment, applied for and received a government grant to fund a project that would update all the Forest Service maps of the Chilliwack River Valley. Peter was hired as project manager, and for two summers he and his crews slashed routes to remote areas and built and repaired, surveyed, marked and mapped popular hiking trails throughout the Cheam Range and mountains of that area. The inspiration for his artwork came from the glaciers, forests, and mountains of that region.
In 1983, Peter relocated to Quesnel, B.C., where he began a 30-year career as a secondary school art educator. Peter also spent these years raising a family, coaching a variety of sports, camping, hiking, canoeing and painting vistas of the beautiful Cariboo region of British Columbia.
In 2012, Peter relocated to Osoyoos, in Canada's only desert, and
