Shirley Gibson-Bull is participating in the 100 Mile House Wranglers’ secret bid auction as a way to thank Bruce Madu for his community work.

Gibson-Bull said she’s not the biggest hockey fan but that she knows the Wranglers are important to people in the community like Madu, a director at large for the Wranglers. As a result, she chose to help them raise some money to support their upcoming season.

“I mostly use acrylic inks and watercolours and I pour them onto the canvas and move them about. I don’t plan what I’m going to come out with, I just experiment and then when things have settled and dried, I look to see what it reminds me of and sometimes I add details,” Gibson-Bull said.

The painting she donated to the Wranglers was produced using this technique, with Gibson-Bull using only a brush to add some birds after she found it reminded her of a beach before a storm. She entitled the piece the Squall and selected it from her collection.

Her artwork often tends to be abstract, so Gibson-Bull said she chose the Squall in the hopes it would appeal to more people and earn the Wranglers more money.

READ MORE: Wrangler secret bid art auction ‘a good cause’

Her formal training in art took place several decades ago in England, while Gibson-Bull was studying to be a teacher. While teaching in the South Cariboo, she did very little art until she retired several years ago. Rather than do more traditional art, however, Gibson-Bull chose to do more experimental and unconventional forms of art, like her pour technique.

“The way I paint now I find really exciting because you don’t know what you’re going to end up with. I always say a finished painting is a bonus, but I’m not working towards a finished painting. I’m more looking to enjoy what I’m doing.”

Squall is currently on display at Rustic Elements with no starting bid value.

Other artwork up for bid is displayed at RBC, CIBC, the Credit Union, the Sugar Shack, Cariboo Floor Design, Pharmasave, Uptown Brewing, Gustafson’s Central GM, 70 Mile General Store, Days Inn, Andres Electronics, Sunrise Ford, Regency Chrysler, Western Financial and the 100 Mile Free Press. It can also be viewed on the Wranglers’ Facebook page.

The auction is slated to end around April 3.

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