A painting inspired by a familiar northern Alberta landmark has returned to Peace River after eight years in Ottawa and will be auctioned to support local arts programming.
Peace River resident Sharon Krushel says the work, titled Coming Home: The Canada Flag Granary, depicts the red-and-white granary visible from Highway 49 near the Little Smoky River valley. She says the landmark has long signalled that she is nearly home when travelling north.
“The prairie wind refreshes my breath, the granary refreshes my good will and joy of living here,” Krushel says.
According to Krushel, former landowner Joseph Johnson built the granary and painted it red. His son, Gilbert, began repainting it white in 1978, but left a three-metre strip of red on the front. Gilbert’s 15-year-old brother, Marcel, suggested using the remaining red section as part of a Canadian flag design and painted the image.
The granary was repainted about a decade later. Marcel says the landmark’s popularity still amuses him, particularly when he sees the image reproduced on items such as a tissue box, displayed in a Grande Prairie dream home or printed on greeting cards sold near Valleyview.
Krushel photographed the granary in 2017 for O Canada!, an exhibition hosted by the Peace River Municipal Library and featuring the Peace River Art Club. She says Chrystia Freeland, who grew up in Peace River, later requested a painting based on the photograph for her Ottawa office. Krushel commissioned artist Shannon Brown to create the work on a custom 109-by 122-centimetre canvas.
“It was an honour to be chosen to paint such an iconic image,” Brown says.
“I understand why it’s called Coming Home. A lot of people in the north see it that way.”
The painting remained in Freeland’s office for eight years before returning to Peace River, Krushel says.
It is now being offered through a silent auction benefiting the Peace River Art Hub, with proceeds intended to help the organization provide classes and opportunities for artists in the region.
She adds the most recent bid she had seen was $2,000, up from the $1,500 opening bid. The highest bidder will receive the painting at the Art Gala at the Peace River Art Hub on Oct. 30.
Krushel says the event will run from 4-9 p.m. People who cannot attend may submit bids by emailing arthub@peace arthub.ca. The Art Hub is open Thursday through Saturday from 1-5 p.m.
Brown moved to Peace River when she was 13 and earned a bachelor of fine arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and a bachelor of education from Concordia University of Edmonton. She is a member of the Peace River Art Club and worked at Java Domain before receiving a Town of Peace River contract in 2017 to paint a mural on the south wall of Boston Pizza on Main Street.
Krushel says Brown also created work for Su Casa, Wet Willy’s Wand Wash and La Bonita Esthetics. Brown now paints murals in Edmonton and teaches art at Allendale Junior High.
Brown says public art gives her opportunities to speak with community members and makes the process feel collaborative.
“Anything I can do for my hometown feels good,” she says.
Sara Driedger
South Peace News