by Angus MacCaull

The morning sun in the Maritimes hits Cape Breton first. It bounces off the Atlantic and floods the windows of our office at 92 Pierce Street in North Sydney. The office lights up with a bright and cheerful feeling. Faye, Cindy and Darlene each have a different colour on their walls—Darlene’s green paint matches her car!

92 Pierce Street is a friendly place. Cindy always has seasonal activity sheets for kids who come by with their parents. There are pet treats, too. And for anyone who sits down in the waiting area, the display TV shows images from around the Island in a mesmerizing flow.

The images (over 800 of them) are all from Faye’s camera. There are trees and flowers. Local architecture and animals. Each of the seasons is represented in all its glory.

Faye has sold individual photos and won contests for her photography. A local church uses her display for receptions. And another local business uses her display for their waiting room as well.

Faye, her husband and their dogs used to be avid hikers and kayakers. They’ve explored a lot of the Island’s trails and lakes. Along the way, Faye always took her camera. Some of her most striking photos are views you can only see from the water.

Clients are very drawn to the display. If anyone is ever stressed, watching the nature scenes usually calms them down. If there’s ever more than one client waiting, the photos often prove to be a good conversation starter. People talk amongst themselves about the beautiful shots and the places that they recognize.

“One lady was here for car insurance,” says Faye, “and she said to her husband come on come on in and he said no I want to sit out here and watch the pictures!”

So he did. And she organized their insurance herself.

If you’re not in North Sydney any time soon, you might consider checking out Faye’s Facebook page to get a sense of her keen eye.

 

Faye and the old office cat
The display in North Sydney