Victoria Holt Interview

David Cowen interviews Victoria Holt about Bayview Mission

You have been involved at Bee Busy at Bayview Mission every summer for a number of years. Did you attend the camp as a child?

I attended the camp back when it was Vacation Bible School at the cathedral, but it was much more of a religion-centered thing back then. I was very young and so have only vague memories, but I remember arts and crafts, making popsicle buildings and playing with Nina's amazing collection of stamps. We had the same awesome tour of the cathedral that the kids still have today, and I remember having a really good time! We used to have it in the Boys' School's classrooms, and we'd play out on the playground. We'd always learn a song and sing it to the congregation at coffee hour the following Sunday. Because Bayview Mission is only a recent development (at least when we compare it to when I was at VBS), I never got to experience the type of camp the kids get to have today, when they can enjoy Nina's backyard and the farm animals and so on. It's been wonderful to see it evolve over the years!


Describe some of the work you do to help out with the kids at camp.

For a few years, Nina would always describe me as the sort of Program Director of the camp, but all that really meant was choosing which activities we did from her amazing assortment of goodies in the barn. :]] Nina is the true mastermind behind this wonderful camp. I've mostly been a counselor-type of figure for the kids, letting them know what the plan is for the day and what their activities will be. When it's at the Cathedral, and more structured, I help to keep the kids involved in what we're doing, if its a tour or a slideshow or meeting with the Seniors. But when we're at Bayview, we can all relax, and I truly feel that I get a chance to get involved and have fun too. I know that I get as much of a kick out of being at Bayview Mission as the rest of the campers. :] This year I also helped a lot with the crafts planning and purchasing of materials. I really enjoyed that, working with Lizzy Compean, to think up some fun ideas and help the kids create such things as decoupage vases, paintings on canvas, animals made of toilet paper rolls, wizard hats, and so on.

I understand you do a lot of photography. What kinds of things do you
like to photograph? Have you taken pictures for the Mission?

I mostly photograph portraits that are framed within an interesting environment. It's sort of a very literal type of environmental portraiture, where through my compositions, I frame the subject so that it's interacting with its background, rather than just posing in front of it. That's my favorite, but I definitely enjoy all types of photography. I also really love band photography, both portraits and live shots of concerts. Just today I had a photoshoot (one of my first official ones with artists that aren't just my brother and his friends, haha) in Oakland that went really well, for a friend's new CD project. Over the years I've taken a ton of photos at Bayview Mission, some of which Nina has used early on for cards and so forth. It's mostly just stuff that she can save to remember the evolution of the place. Once I came over and shot photos of the house and barn before changes were made to both. And I shot the shed a lot before they had it taken down. Just archival stuff for keepsake. And every year at camp I've loved the opportunity to shoot the kids having so much fun!

Did helping out at the Mission fulfill any credit hours when you attended
high school at the Bay School?

I don't remember my school literally requiring credit hours... we did a lot of community service through our classes or as a group on special outings. I used Bayview Mission for a community project where we were told to go to another community we were unfamiliar with and interview someone who is involved there, then write a story from their perspective of one of their experiences of living there. It was a strange assignment but turned out great when I interviewed Nina. She told an amazing story of some of the things she's witnessed living in Bayview, and at that time I felt I truly was a part of the community at Bayview Mission. It's been such an honor to be able to be involved in a place I would probably never venture on my own for safety's sake. It truly enhances cultural empathy and is an experience all young adults should have!

You just completed a year of college up in Seattle. What school are you
attending?

I go to Seattle University, the Jesuit school in Seattle. It's a wonderful school with a great Core Curriculum based on the Jesuit values of a strong central education along with whatever the student chooses to major in. I'm really enjoying it!

Have you declared a major yet? If so, what are you studying?

I am studying for a BFA (Bachelor's in Fine Arts) in Photography. I knew while applying to colleges that I wanted to study photography, so I was looking at a lot of art schools. But in the end I chose a liberal arts school, because I decided that I greatly value a good general education. My major's department head says it best, that art cannot be created from a vacuum. I also appreciate the option to change my mind, should I decide to. :] I'm loving it so far though!