SJ Spurr once again puts her focus on hidden stories for LUNA Arts 2025, the nocturnal celebration overtaking Revelstoke’s downtown Saturday, Sept. 20.
A long-time contributor to LUNA Arts, Spurr is helping build hype for the festival with her poster, The Understory, inspired by a walk through the Rainbow-Jordan wilderness.
Featuring the Pacific chorus frog and the spotted coralroot, Spurr shines a spotlight to the little organisms that call the inland temperate rainforest home.
“Those may not be red listed endangered species, but I just like the idea of all these little things that live in the forest that are really vulnerable, alongside the bigger things like the caribou,” Spurr said.
One of the first artists to contribute to LUNA’s open call to artists back in 2017, Spurr has tackled each year she’s contributed through a lens of growth and curiosity.
“You didn’t have to be a professional. You could just be somebody who was curious to make something,” Spurr said. “Every year since I’ve gone in with the same spirit.”
Growing up with LUNA Fest
Using the artist fee provided every year, along with grants from organizations such as the Columbia Basin Trust, Spurr is able to give herself space to explore new mediums.
“I’ve gotten to see my own artwork grow along with LUNA every year… And that’s been so special.”
One project that pushed Spurr as an artist was a LUNA Reimagined installation titled They Called Her Jennie telling the story of Jennie Kiohara, an early Japanese immigrant whose murder in 1905 remains unsolved.
Spurr worked with Arts Revelstoke on the idea for the 2021 festival and then collaborated with Revelstoke Museum & Archives to collect all available records on Kiohara’s life to create an animation and accompanying website. The project helped restore Kiohara’s headstone in Mountain View Cemetery in May, marking a milestone for the four-year long project.
“It was the farthest out of my depth I’ve gone both creatively and collaboratively,” Spurr said.
Trusting the process
While artists pitch ideas to LUNA coordinators for consideration, there is wiggle room for projects to change and evolve up until the night of LUNA Arts.
“That’s always been a part of the LUNA spirit,” Spurr said, noting that even her interactive stamp exhibit for this year is still taking shape.
While Spurr has grown familiar with the stress of finalizing things the day of LUNA, she’s also come to cherish the excitement of seeing the completed work alongside audiences and fellow artists.
“So many with LUNA are incredibly supportive of the arts in town,” Spurr said, naming Jess Leahey and Taylor Sandell both as inspirations.
While the bar for LUNA is raised every year, artists continue to meet the challenge.
The festival has become a way for artists to introduce themselves to Revelstoke, showcase new talents and connect with the community.
“Not every Revelstoke artist contributes to LUNA, there are some incredible local artists I say every year should join,” Spurr said. “It is just a wonderful opportunity to see what we can do in one night in Revelstoke.”
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