The work of Mona Apps is on display at the Showcase Gallery in 100 Mile House this month.
Her paintings are a progression of winter scenes completed between 1986 and 2012.
“It shows me where I've come from,” Apps says of the collection.
“I look back and I think, 'Wow, it is a learning process'. It's kind of neat to see where I've come from and where I am today.”
The paintings feature trees, landscapes and cabins covered in snow.
Apps says she started painting snow because she didn't know how to paint grass.
“I soon found out you have to learn to paint shadows and it's not as easy as you think it is.”
The 105 Mile resident says she has learned about different painting techniques over the years. Apps previously had her work featured in Alberta, where she lived before moving to the 100 Mile House area 12 years ago and subsequently joined the Cariboo Artists' Guild.
Apps laughs when she talks about the winter theme of her work currently on display in fall.
''I had two choices. I also paint a lot of flowers. I thought, 'You know what? We're done with flowers.' It just didn't seem apropos. But all [my fall paintings] are sold.”
Winter scenes were the next best choice.
At the moment, she is tidying up her art desk ahead of her most productive season.
“Usually I start now and I work mostly in the winter months. It's a nice thing to do on a stormy, winter day. That's when I do most of my work.”
The Showcase Gallery is located at the South Cariboo Business Centre Ltd. on 475 Birch Ave. in 100 Mile House.