elaine clay boudreault photographer
and author
Author, photographer and designer.
Elaine has researched, written and published two iconic non-fiction stories that are close to her roots of Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC while continuing her passion with photography.The Incredible Adventures of Alexander Dawson Donaldson on Canada's WILD WEST COAST during 1862-1909.Elaine V. Clay reaches across time and opens a provocative, illuminating window on the tumultuous early days of the province when Alexander Donaldson witnessed the birth of the city of Victoria in the adventurous company of his uncle James Dawson.
Along his journey he finds himself embroiled in controversy that tests his quintessential reputation. Never wavering, he achieves his holy grail with the highest degree of respect from his peers interwoven by the love he has for his new homeland.The Oscar Scarf Story 1864-1949 Master Mariner and a Sooke Treasure.Oscar Scarf had spent over a decade skippering the tug 'Pilot' for James Dunsmuir. Maneuvering from remote mines and logging camps through narrow channels to busy waterways, beating his own record-breaking timetable and drop-off times, returning the next day to do it all over again! James Dunsmuir was the man who brought Oscar from his buccaneering sealing fleet days into a career of marine navigational history.Elaine is a fifth generation Victoria resident who shares a deep appreciation for BC’s magnificent landscape, bountiful seas and diverse wildlife. Elaine holds all of the people who call British Columbia “home” close to her heart. ©The stories of Alexander Dawson Donaldson, James Dawson and the Oscar Scarf Story can be found at Bolen Books, Royal BCs Museum Gift Shop and Ivy's Book Shop (Oak Bay) Victoria, BC. Sooke Region Museum Gift Shop, Volume-One Bookstore, Duncan, Boundless Books, Ladysmith, BC, and Window Seat Books, Nanaimo, BC.
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Elaine Clay Boudreault is a Canadian freelance landscape and wildlife photographer, author, and artist based in Sidney, British Columbia. A fifth-generation born resident of Vancouver Island, her creative work is heavily influenced by the history, wilderness, and coastal landscapes of Western Canada.
She is widely recognized for her multi-disciplinary background spanning fine art, historical writing, and professional photography.
Artistic Background & Education
Elaine Boudreault has a lifelong background in visual arts, beginning her training as a child with local artist Ms. Radford of Glen Lake. Over the years, she self-taught skills across various mediums, including oils, acrylics, and watercolours.
To refine her technical skills, she later attended Camosun College in Victoria, BC, where she formalised her knowledge in:
• Architectural and museum rendering
• Advanced watercolour art
• General fine art curriculum
Her earlier paintings and artwork have been featured and sold through regional establishments such as the Oak Bay Gallery at Windsor Park, a gallery in Prince George, and via private collections.
Photography & Historical Writing
Operating under her professional and creative platform, Elaine Clay Boudreault Photography, she primarily focuses on capturing local ecosystems, regional heritage, and wildlife.
• In addition to photography, she writes non-fiction literature preserving local history. Writing under the pen name Elaine V. Clay, she published a notable historical non-fiction work titled The Incredible Adventures of Alexander Dawson Donaldson on Canada's WILD WEST COAST during 1862-1909 a biographical history chronicling the early, tumultuous days of Victoria through the eyes of early settler Alexander Donaldson and the book chronicles early colonial life on Vancouver Island and the foundational days of the City of Victoria through the lived experiences of her great grandfather and great, great uncle James Dawson. Elaine has also written: The Oscar Scarf Story 1864-1949, Master Mariner and is currently working on another Victoria historical narrative and just completed
Dawson & Donaldson, GOLD - OIL – Commerce and Corruption on Canada’s Wild West Coast.
More specific details may be available on:
• Her published books and historical narratives
• Where to view her photography portfolios
• Her current artistic showcases in British ColumbiaHer career spans visual arts, historical non-fiction writing, and professional photography, deeply rooted in the local history and natural environment of the Canadian Pacific West Coast.