Artwork by nine members of the Cariboo Art Society (CAS) are featured in the Station House Gallery’s summer exhibit.
From an acrylic painting of Oolichan and Eelgrass by newer members Michael Bruce to some mixed media flowers created out of vinyl records by Anne Brown, the show reflects the artists’ individual response to the theme - curious perceptions, landmarks and whimsy.
“It helps to have a theme. When you have a theme it gives you a start,” said the society’s vice-president Linda Bachman.
An acrylic painting by Gladys Wheatley, Shelter in Place, was a result of the spring quarantine of 2020.
“The artwork is a seemingly cozy summer scene but danger lurks just out of sight,” she wrote in her description of the piece.
Georgia Lesley’s The Universe, Within and Without boasts a vibrant colourful starry night watched by a parent and a child holding hands while standing on ice, with trees in the foreground.
It’s a magical scene.
In one of Bachman’s acrylic paintings, Wild in the Cariboo, there are horses set against the landscape but there are also some Indigenous forms set in behind the trees in front of a small hillside. Even the shadows beneath two of the horses look like pictographs.
READ MORE: Cariboo Chilcotin’s little moments captured in new art show at Parkside Gallery
Mural artist Dwayne Davis has painted a large piece depicting artist Emily Carr on horseback during a visit to the Cariboo, based on an historical photograph taken around 1909.
Sandra Stokes created a piece titled Stained Glass Orchid out of water colours and coloured pens and Jean Wellburn shares one of her iconic Chilcotin scenes.
Station House executive director Diane Toop added an archival piece for the show.
“I think it is important to show the community how worthwhile this art society is and how important it is to maintain the integrity of the intent of the initial founders - Vivien Cowan and A.Y. Jackson - to bring art to the community.”
Toop included a typed invitation from Cowan to members inviting them to submit art for the first exhibition of the CAS scheduled for Oct. 14 to 18, 1946.
The Station House has hosted many CAS exhibits over the past 39 years, Toop said.
“I think it’s one of the best shows they’ve had. I’m happy with it,” she added. “I think it’s important that emerging artists go and learn from people who have been making art longer with the CAS.”
Bachman said some of the members have been painting outside together at each other’s yards during the summer and working on a group project painting the garage door of member Dean Jeffries. There are still a few panels left for some of the other artists who haven’t painted any yet.
Next Saturday, Aug. 15, the painting session will be at her place in 150 Mile House, where the 2017 wildfires came close to her property.
“It’s all beautiful flora now and wild flowers, less the trees, and it’s gorgeous and up to our waist when you walk through,” Bachman said. “I’m anxious to get the artists out here again to see how it is and paint or draw.”
Getting out to see the beautiful landscapes in the Cariboo region is something Bachman said she will never get tired of as an ‘ex-city slicker.’
She has lived here since 2016, after moving up from Squamish, and said she has so much more to see.
Having a group of artists helps keep each other motivated, she added.
“If we lose contact, we share stuff on Facebook and critique each other’s work. I’ve been doing that a lot with Gladys Wheatley and she is one of the best artists in the Cariboo here as far as I’m concerned. She is very creative.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the artists in the group have not produced very many pieces and have to start producing again.
The society’s AGM is slated for Sept. 5 at the current society’s president Cat Prevette’s place in Rose Lake.
Anyone wanting information about the AGM can call Bachman at 250-296-4676.
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