The beauty of nature has been captured in oil paintings by Lynne Wright-Flanders' Colours of the Cariboo and Beyond at Parkside Art Gallery this month.
On Saturday, June 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wright-Flanders, a former South Cariboo resident and member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, is inviting the community to come to the opening of Colours of the Cariboo and Beyond. The show features a wide range of colourful oil paintings of landscapes, animals and other scenes from nature.
"The theme is mainly nature scenes of the Cariboo, the Shuswap, a little bit of Haida Gwaii and Northern B.C.," Wright-Flanders said. "I also have some hidden animals (in my paintings) water, trees, lakes and a couple of cartoon funny paintings."
Born in Ontario, Wright-Flanders developed a love for painting from a young age thanks to the influence of her father Alexander Wright, himself an accomplished artist. Wright-Flanders said he was taught by Les Moines Fitzgerald, a member of the Group of Seven, and passed some of those skills on to her.
"I've been an artist since probably I was born. I learned to paint with my dad who passed away young. I learned to paint with him in Ontario on Lake Superior," Wright-Flanders recalled. "I would follow him around when I was four or five years old and watch him paint. We would walk for miles and he would set up his easel and then I would watch him as he fell asleep and get home at seven in the morning."
Throughout her life, Wright-Flanders would paint in her spare time though she never attended school for it. She believed the gift her father gave her had to be used and to this day she still thinks of her dad whenever she paints.
In her professional career, Wright-Flanders became a nurse and moved out to B.C. She eventually settled in Sheridan Lake 20 years ago where she was lucky enough to "deliver babies and help people pass away" at the 100 Mile District General Hospital.
"I've seen a lot in life through my nursing career in Alberta, I was an emergency nurse there, I've seen a lot of life and death. I've also seen a lot of the world I lived in South East Asia for a while as well," Wright-Flanders said. "Of all the places I've lived, nothing is more beautiful than B.C. I would never leave B.C., it's my place."
She remarked the landscapes of the Cariboo especially inspired her and she continues to draw inspiration from landscapes to this day from her home in Salmon Arm. Since retiring 10 years ago, Wright-Flanders has dedicated herself to her art full-time and has organized several shows in Kelowna and Kamloops. Colours of the Cariboo and Beyond marks her first time doing a solo show in 100 Mile House, though she has taken part in group shows in the past.
"I have a lot of friends (in 100 Mile House) and memories. The people there are very friendly and nice people, so I'm looking forward to going back," she said.
For the show, Wright-Flanders chose a selection of her most recent work from the last five years with some even completed just this month. There will be about 26 pieces in the show with one of her favourite works being named Do Bears Poop in the Woods? When asked to describe the piece she simply chuckled and told the Free Press it's a cartoon of three bears that plays on the joke in the title.
All of the paintings on display were done with oil paints as Wright-Flanders loves blending vivid colours together in a way you can't with acrylics or watercolours. Whenever she paints she enjoys immersing herself completely in the process losing track of time and place.
"It takes me to a place where I'm very happy and I'm at peace. I just love life when I'm painting," Wright-Flanders remarked. "I've learned not to take life for granted from what I've seen and been through and to be grateful for what I have now.
"I also believe everyone on this earth is born with a gift and it's really an obligation to use that gift to the best of your ability. I work very hard at what I do because I think I was given this gift and it's important to share it with people."
Colours of the Cariboo and Beyond will be on display at Parkside until July 20.
