Colleen Norrish is a new kid on the block with the Cariboo Artists Guild, having moved from Lillooet to 108 Mile in April 2010.
Her first solo art show, which is a creative tribute to the raven, is also something new and it's on display at Showcase Gallery until the end of November.
Norrish says she's had a fascination with the clever black birds for many years and admires their intelligence and adaptability.
"I also love some of the traditional native legends about how Raven stole the sun and Raven as creator of the world," she says, adding ravens are social birds that have the ability to feel loneliness.
Her collection of paintings, done in acrylic, showcases ravens in a variety of settings and with colours that compliment the ebony feathered creature. Norrish sees them in a different light than most other people and thinks ravens are largely misunderstood as being nothing more than scavengers. "They are a highly intelligent bird with the ability to use logic and high learning to solve problems."
Her images were created during the past year, with the inspiration coming from a painting of a raven she'd seen in a shop in the town of Lytton. She has always regretted not buying the painting and has been trying to recreate it ever since.
The Norrish show also includes several painted stones, which she calls fairy tale rocks. Most of the images are of animals and houses and are just representative of the many she has created.
Some of her early inspiration to paint came from family members who were also artists, but since relocating to the South Cariboo, her source of encouragement is largely the Cariboo Artists Guild, of which she is now a member.
"The guild has been very supportive. I didn't know at first if I could do this, but it's been fun."
'Tribute to the Raven' can be seen at Showcase Gallery, located at 475 Birch Ave., Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
