For local artist Barbara Checkryn-Rivers the most important part of being an artist is being honest with the work and being true to oneself.
“It's … doing what you want to do. It's not being swayed by what the market asks for and just keep doing it and being persistent,” she said.
The Eagle Hill-based artist is the featured artist at the Olds Art Club Spring Show and Sale taking place April 2 and 3 at Olds College.
Checkryn-Rivers said when she sets out to create a piece, she already has an idea in mind of what she wants to convey to the viewer.
“I'm inspired more from what I see around me. It's putting your life into the piece and hopefully when the viewer sees it, they will see that moment that you did. It's very different sometimes. It's an honest attempt to try and capture that moment,” she said.
Checkryn-Rivers is currently painting mostly in acrylic, although she has also used oil, pastels and pencil drawings of various sizes in the past. She said painting in acrylic allows an artist to make changes quickly.
“It's kind of like a multi-purpose medium, you can use it like watercolour, you can make your adjustments almost (immediately) and that's why I like it,” she said.
Checkryn-Rivers moved to the Eagle Hill area in 1992, where she became a full-time artist. She graduated from the Alberta School of Art and Design in 1978 with a major in painting.
After being the Olds Art Club's featured artist in 2003, Checkryn-Rivers continued honing her craft and got a few gallery showings under her belt. She now feels it's a good time to show her continuing journey as a professional artist.
This particular show concentrates on her travels throughout the province and the images she has fashioned that often result from place. She gets inspired by her travels throughout the province, especially seeing things that others might overlook.
“When the experience is fresh, new and because it is so magical, you kind of get all excited again about working on your art and trying to, again, express a new point of view,” she said.
This show, called Colour: With a U and a Me, Around Alberta,” explores Checkryn-Rivers' fascination with colour and how it influences the final product.
“I'm trying to learn about (colour) a little bit more, even though I've painted it for many years. I've always used colour but sometimes I've used colour for colour's sake,” she said.
After teaching a class to the Olds Art Club about the subject, Checkryn-Rivers began learning more about colour and used that knowledge to further her art.
“It's a constant learning process, especially in colour,” she said.
"It's ... doing what you want to do. It's not being swayed by what the market asks for and just keep doing it and being persistent."Barbara Checkryn-Rivers, featured artist, spring show and sale, Olds Art Club
