Putting a paintbrush to canvas has become an enjoyable pastime for a group of rural painters, but there’s something about displaying the final product for all to see.
The Bragg Creek Painters spend hours creating beautiful images in their spare time and then take every opportunity to have their work viewed by the public.
“Just as often as we can we are trying to get our work displayed,” said member Kym Binns. “It’s a difficult process trying to do that. Any kind of venue that we can get we are open to.”
For Binns, a big part of showcasing her work publicly is the social aspect.
“Painting is such a solitary art form,” she said. “You are alone a lot of the time when you’re painting so it’s nice to get out and mix and mingle with people and to share and promote your works of art.”
Seven of the eight Bragg Creek Painters have more than 50 pieces on display at the Sheep River Public Library in Turner Valley throughout January and February, featuring a combination of oil, acrylic, watercolour and felted fabric.
The public will have the opportunity to meet the artists at a reception Feb. 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the library.
“People are quite surprised with the quality of the pieces,” she said. “I don’t know whether they underestimate the talent or what, but everybody is pleasantly surprised that we are more talented than they think we should be.”
Binns delves into oil, watercolour and acrylic paints, creating landscapes, animals, wildlife and some First Nations art.
She became a serious hobbyist artist after retiring and moving to Bragg Creek seven years ago.
Every Thursday she joins fellow club members for an afternoon of creating at the Bragg Creek Community Centre.
“It’s a very supportive group because we are trying to grow and develop and some of us are at different levels in the process,” she said. “Some people are more knowledgeable and they share their knowledge with others.”
Binns said the club consisted of 23 painters when she joined seven years ago, but many moved to British Columbia and Calgary and now there are eight.
Member Grace Langford, who lives in Priddis, is displaying a selection of her oil, watercolour, pastel, acrylic and charcoal creations featuring landscapes, animals and portraits.
Langford has been painting since she moved to the Foothills in the 1960s.
“I’ve always been interested in the arts,” she said. “I’m not one of these people that go out and really try to push my art. If there happens to be a place I can show I will show. It’s a hobby.”
The seasoned painter said she’s displayed her work in some Calgary galleries, the annual Priddis & Millarville Fair and the fall artisan sale in Bragg Creek.
Her husband Dave has recently also picked up a paintbrush and his work is also on display in the Sheep River Public Library’s gallery.
“He was my best critic – so were both the kids,” Langford said. “It’s good to have someone else look at your paintings because they look at it from a different angle.”
Fay Hodson brings two and three-dimensional work to the exhibit with felt landscapes, acrylic paintings, photo etching and prints.
“I started out as a landscape painter and now I got addicted to felt,” she said.
“I’ve been working with it and trying to understand the media more.”
Hodson said she delved into creating art after retiring about six years ago and takes it pretty seriously.
“I just felt like I needed to push myself more and applied to ACAD (Alberta College of Art and Design),” she said. “Some of the diversity is because I have been taking classes at ACAD. They instantly get you to branch out and try different mediums so you can figure out what it is you want to do.”
Hodson has displayed her work publicly at several venues, including at the library gallery with the Sheep Creek Weavers last fall.
“I really like that there’s a local opportunity for people to go in and see art casually,” she said. “It’s a really good opportunity for people to experience local art and take their kids to see it, too. It’s also nice for artists to display their work. It helps to step back and look at your own work through other people’s eyes.”
Other artists that are featured in the exhibit include Pat Johansen, Pam Atkinson and Dani Atkinson.
The Sheep River Public Library is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
