Art exhibits are making a return in 100 Mile House this month as the Cariboo Artists’s Guild reopens their Showcase Gallery at the South Cariboo Business Centre with the works of Bobbie Crane.
Crane jokes that her last name is very fitting because it reflects what she paints, which is primarily birds and wildlife. She’s been painting now for about 35 years and started as a decorative artist before transitioning into being a wildlife artist.
About five years ago she became an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, has her own studio in Lac la Hache and enjoys teaching art all throughout the Cariboo. Last year Crane also spearheaded 100 Mile House’s first Art Crawl and does a lot of volunteering for many organizations in the area.
“I’m a firm believer in that if a community supports you and your art, then you support the community in turn,” Crane said.
The Showcase Gallery, Crane explained, is a chance once a month for artists to display a selection of their artwork to the broader community. Crane has claimed the month of June this year after she lost the month of April due to COVID-19.
Her selection for this month, she feels, is a pretty good representation of the art that Crane does on a regular basis whether it be wildlife, vignettes of landscapes or pet portraitures. Many of the paintings were made while sequestered in her home due to COVID-19, as most of us have been for the better part of two months.
“I have to say that I kind of have enjoyed the space and the time of reflection, it’s kind of taking me back to my roots of doing smaller paintings,” Crane said, remarking she’s made quite a few mini-paintings in recent weeks she’s been able to sell online.
Most of the paintings on display are of wildlife and come from her own photo references she’s taken over the years, which is her preferred method of gathering references. Crane will use photos from other photographers with permission, however, but reiterated around 90 per cent of the photos she uses are her own.
Getting the chance to have her art back out on display in the world, after three months of silence, is a real treat Crane said. Every time she gets a positive comment from someone it always puts a smile on her face and makes her want to make more art.
All of the art currently on display is for sale, Crane added, with a special layaway plan in place for those interested in buying art but who don’t have the financial needs right now. So as long as someone is able to pay a deposit on their chosen art piece, Crane is willing to sell it to them so long as they’re able to pay the full price at a later time. Those interested in buying her art can reach her at bobbiecraneart.ca or her Facebook page Bobbie Crane Art.
She encourages any artist in the community interested in being featured in the Showcase Gallery or in becoming more involved in the 100 Mile art scene to join the Cariboo Artist Guild, which meets once a month at 11 a.m. on the first Tuesday at Parkside Gallery, or the 100 Mile and District Arts Council, which meets every Tuesday at Parkside at 1 p.m.
“As artists, we’re all so very, very thankful to our community for supporting us because 100 Mile and the whole district does support us very well,” Crane said, encouraging people to not only support existing artists but take these turbulent times as a chance to begin pursuing their own raft.
Following her in July the artist on display will be Sheryl Fremlin, Crane added.
