n Emma Milley: Colours of India photography exhibit, Bellevue Gallery, 2475 Bellevue Ave.,

West Vancouver, 604-922-2304.

Niamh Scallan

nscallan@nsnews.com

Nestled in foothills of the Himalayas sits Joybell Orphanage, a place of refuge for Indian children that forever changed the life of Emma Milley.

Milley was 14 years old when she and her father traveled to Joybells Orphanage in North India. At 27, the Vancouver-based nurse and photographer looks back on her first trip as a life-changing experience.

"I had seen poverty on TV and the newspapers and I don't think I understood what it was until I went there," she said. "It totally changed my perspective and outlook on life. I was a different teenager after I came home from that trip."

Milley's interest in India began at Joybells Orphanage and School Foundation. The orphanage lies roughly 200 kilometres north of Delhi in the city of Dehradun. Joybells was originally located in Gangtok, a remote city in northeastern India, but moved to more centrally located Dehradun in 2000. More than 60 children currently live at Joybells and 400 children attend the school.

Since her first trip in 1997, British-born Milley has become a certified nurse and a talented photographer, two skills that come in great use when she returns to Joybells. Milley most recently travelled to India with husband, Tyler, in 2006. The couple worked at Joybells Orphanage, helping in the classroom, compiling medical charts for sick children and providing support to staff members for part of their trip.

"I'm really glad that I have my nursing skills," she said. "When we go to India, I get to use my nursing skills."

The Milleys also spent part of their six-month trip in 2006 adventuring across the Indian subcontinent. They traveled from Delhi's crowded streets in the north to Kovalam's sunny beaches in the deep south, and many places in between. Milley documented the couple's adventure across India by taking photos of Indian culture, people and landscapes.

"I get to share the stories of people by taking their pictures and bringing them home," Milley said. "It's really great."

Milley's experiences in India are showcased in her exhibit, Colours of India, currently displayed at West Vancouver's Bellevue Gallery. Her artwork reflects her passion for Indian people and culture that developed during her time abroad.

"I really love the people there. They live life to the full and death is part of life. There's an acceptance of things that we don't accept very well in the West."

Milley's inspiration for her Colours of India exhibit comes from her experiences and relationships with those she met on her travels.

"Everybody knows the image of stress and hunger and the disfigurement of the developing world," she said. "I wanted to put on a show that invites people in. Sad pictures make people feel guilty. We empty our pockets to make the suffering go away, but it doesn't go."

"The idea behind Colours of India is to create a more inviting scene of what happens in India. Maybe people would get on a plane and go and work alongside the people who can't travel here."

Milley's exhibit depicts a sense of peace and joy, themes the artist considers to be vital to a more accurate understanding of the complexity of Indian life and culture. Colours of India illustrates an India of high energy and rich culture. In the midst of poverty and suffering, Milley captures the joys of everyday life.

"There are orphans on the walls, girls dressed in rags and women making paper bags but the moments that you see them are moments of joy," Milley said. "It shows that, even though people are struggling, that they are still human."

Today, Milley works to share her experiences with others in the community -- not only through photography, but also through volunteerism. Since immigrating to Canada with her husband in 2002, Milley has worked to establish Just Go, a nonprofit organization that works to send volunteers to help at Joybells.

"The idea is that we would send people so that they come back with stories, having changed lives and being changed themselves," Milley said.

While still waiting for charitable status, Milley and the Just Go team have helped around 20 people travel to the orphanage in the last five years.

Milley's exhibit is on display at the Bellevue Gallery until May 29.