A warm bath, a cup of herbal tea before bed, or the age-old ritual of counting sheep are all tried and tested ways to chase some much-needed shut-eye.
But for Victoria’s Shannon Ferguson, the cure for her insomnia is something far more unusual – and hairier.
When she settles down for the night, she likes to drift off to dreamland listening to the cadence of voices recounting tales of the unexpected on Sasquatch podcasts.
While some might think stories of a bipedal hairy giant lurking among the trees is an odd choice for relaxation, Ferguson says the lore strikes a strangely peaceful balance.
“I’m intrigued by it, yet I’m not scared of it,” she says. “And it’s not the news, horror, true crime or self-help.
“It helps to turn my brain off and it’s somehow just worked for me, there are so many incredible stories.”
Living with an anxiety disorder, Ferguson says accounts of Sasquatch sightings have become an unexpected source of calm when she feels upset or experiences a panic attack.
“I went and took cognitive behavioural therapy, and that helps, it does its work – but Sasquatch also helps,” she says with a chuckle.
What began as a source of bedtime entertainment has now grown into something deeper.
“I’m a full-fledged Sasquatch believer,” she says.
That passion for Sasquatch has stepped out of Ferguson’s dream realm into the real world, manifesting in her Fairfield gift shop, My Mothers Eye, where the elusive icon will soon lurk among the vintage treasures on offer.
Whether through paint, stained glass or even baked goods, the legendary ape-like creature known to some as Bigfoot, will assume many forms at the upcoming ‘Sasquatch in the shop’ art show.
Launching May 1 for a two-week run, visitors to Ferguson’s store at 1704 Lillian Rd. will have the opportunity to admire – and purchase – a host of artwork created by local artists inspired by the mythical creature.
“I haven’t seen much, I like to keep it a surprise right up until the end, and I’ve asked people not to share their pieces online,” she says.
The now annual art show debuted last year to great success, with the likes of world-renowned Canadian artist Robert Bateman contributing an original drawing to the exhibition, which was auctioned off for over $2,000.
This year, Ferguson is expecting twice as many artists to take part, with many returning to pay homage to ‘Harry’.
The ‘Sasquatch in the shop’ art show runs from May 1 for two weeks at Fairfield store My Mothers Eye. (Ben Fenlon/Victoria News)
Across the two weeks My Mothers Eye will also host a series of themed events and special guests.
For opening night May 1, Ferguson will be serving Sasquatch-themed drinks for a donation. Next up, Empire Donuts will stop by May 2, offering folks a chance to take a bite out of Bigfoot pastries shaped liked the creature’s iconic footprint.
At the exhibition’s midway point, two very special guests from the Vancouver Island Sasquatch Society – Alex Solunac and Dave Hill – will take centre stage.
Alongside Stephen Gray, the pair founded the citizen science group in 2018, which is dedicated to rigorous fieldwork and evidence collection, in hopes of nudging the Sasquatch conversation from myth toward fact.
Solunac and Hill will both give presentations Saturday, May 9, after 6 p.m. Ferguson expects the free, more adult-orientated, event to draw a crowd of Sasquatch fans.
“They are legends, and we’re so excited to have them back,” she said. “Last year there were so many people I couldn’t even get in the back, or near the back to hear them speak.”
As well as a deep dive into his decades of knowledge about the creature’s history, Solunac will also share news of a more recent discovery.
While placing trail cameras in an area south of Port Alberni over the Easter long weekend, he and Gray came across something intriguing underfoot.
“We took a different route back to the truck and came across a possible track line – about four tracks,” said Solunac.
The society’s commitment to grounding its Bigfoot research in careful fieldwork and scientific evidence is something Ferguson deeply admires.
But while she respects that evidence-based approach, her own sense of wonder leaves room for a little mystery too.
“I like the idea of magic in the world,” she says. “I just like the believing – I don’t think we’re supposed to find them.”
It’s a dilemma the Vancouver Island Sasquatch Society have wrestled with, the trio unsure if they would go public if they ever did find concrete proof of the creature’s existence. “How beautiful,” comments Ferguson.
Much like her quirky, retro store, she hopes to sprinkle that same sense of magic throughout the exhibition, creating a community event that is playful and mystical, encouraging folks to lean into the unknown.
“I think that as humans, our egos get a hold of us, and unless we see something for ourselves, we don’t believe in it,” she says. ”It’s so infuriating – why do we have to see it with our own eyes to know that it’s there?”
For more information and updates, visit: www.facebook.com/shannonadena.
READ MORE: Finding Bigfoot: Greater Victoria research trio tracks Sasquatch on Island.
Grieving with joy: Victoria icon’s legacy lives on in vintage treasure trove.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: ben.fenlon@blackpress.ca.