COURTROOM DRAWINGS

Heather Spears works as a courtroom artist when her travels coincide with a trial which interests her. The drawings are exhaustive and provide in-depth coverage that is sensitive and comprehensive. Closely linked to her other swift drawings of dance, sport, musicians and authors in performance and infant movement, they are to a limited extent used in the media, and later become exhibitions and illustrations for publications and presentations.


Trials to date: Mears Island Hearing, BC Supreme Court (freelance) Robert Noyes Hearing, BC Supreme Court (freelance) Midwifery Trial, BC Supreme Court (freelance) Reena Virk Trials (1998-2000), BC Juvenile Court, BC Supreme Court, Vancouver and Victoria (for CHEKTV, BCTV, Canadian Press, etc.) Stephen Reid arraignment Victoria Courthouse, Trial of Palestinian children jailed for throwing stones (freelance).

An exhibtion of 54 drawings from the Reena Virk trials was shown at the Community Arts Council Gallery, Victoria, June 29-July 12, 2000.
"You are a great witness to record without judging--and the sentiments come through. This exhibit is history. It should be archived properly and made into a book. It should be purchased intact and outright by the Canada Council Art Bank or better yet by the Reena Virk Foundation (against violence by youth to youth--yet to be established) ... we mustn't forget her or your document of the trials."
Paul Scrivener, Custodial Chair, Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria.

Required Reading: a witness in words and drawings to the Reena Virk Trials, 1998-2000, Wolsak and Wynn, 2000.

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