Prominent art teacher and wildlife artist Bobbie Crane has certainly been busy.
The Lac la Hache artist is featured in the Showcase Gallery in the South Cariboo Business Centre (475 Birch Ave.) and the show will continue to the end of January.
The title of her exhibit is The Appreciation of Nature.
Crane's specialty is wildlife. Not surprisingly, her upcoming exhibition will feature plenty of Western Canadian fauna in acrylic form.
"Ninety-nine per cent of my paintings are wildlife," she explains.
"I'm a naturalist. I strive for photographic realism in my paintings, although I often include a spiritual theme."
Her paintings also frequently blend native iconography within her realistic sketches of bears, foxes and eagles.
"I have no First Nations background, however, [I] have a passion for its symbolism. I have respectfully studied and learned to draw these symbols with permission.
Crane is also well on her way to becoming an "associated member" of the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA).
Currently designated an "active member," the Lac la Hache resident completed the first stage of becoming an associated member in lightning speed.
"Artists have four years to complete stage one, but I completed mine in eight months."
The prolific artisan is now working on the second and final stage.
"This includes creating three epic paintings to be juried by an FCA committee and writing a new profile of myself."
She recently finished exhibitions in the Quesnel Art Gallery in August 2016, the Parkside Art Gallery in May 2015 and she is currently working towards a June exhibition at the Station House Gallery in Williams Lake.
Having started painting in the 1980s, she began teaching art in the Lower Mainland before moving to the Cariboo about 14 years ago. She now teaches in Lac la Hache, 100 Mile House and Williams Lake.
Her main connection to the Cariboo is through Lac la Hache itself.
"I live on the lake, so our property is very active. I'm constantly visited by animals."
Crane says she especially appreciates the people who live on the lakeside.
"They are very good stewards of the lakeshore."
Her philosophy as an artist very much resembles her goal as a teacher: to have an impact on people.
"My goal is for every painting to tell a story and to affect people in a way that nothing else can."
For more information on Crane, visit her website: www.bobbiecraneart.ca.
