Staff and volunteers at the Creston Museum have been pulling some very special objects out of storage.
Scattered throughout the museum’s collections of artifacts, photographs and documents are works of art that show the Creston Valley through the eyes of its residents. These works of art are very unique portrayals of the valley’s history — and they are about to go on display for a very short time.
Art/History is a special exhibit of 25 works of art. They range from watercolours and oil paintings to pencil sketches, and have been done on everything from canvas to barn wood to a saw. Despite these differences, they all have one thing in common: They all depict a person or place in the Creston Valley, at some time in the past.
Some of the works were created by well-known local artists. For example, the show includes three paintings by Margaret Moore, and a series by Chris Herchmer. Many of the artists are less famous, though, and most of them were known for other things — as orchardists, office workers and even army scouts, but not as artists.
The most recent work of art was created less than 10 years ago, and the earliest was done in 1845 — though the museum is only fortunate enough to have a reproduction of that one.
A few of the paintings have been on display, at various times, in the museum’s permanent exhibits. Some have never been shown at all. And this is the first time ever that all 25 works will be exhibited together.
Each work of art is accompanied by a panel outlining its history or that of the artist, along with historic photos and other documents. In addition, the show will feature a special section called the Art of Agriculture, in which fall fair trophies, fruit labels, and other objects highlight the role of agriculture in the valley’s history.
Art/History will be presented at the Creston and District Public Library from Feb. 5-25. Admission is free, and the exhibit is open throughout the library’s operating hours. Curators Carrie Lucas and Tammy Hardwick will host a special reception on Feb. 11, from 6-8 p.m.
For more information, please contact Tammy Hardwick at the Creston Museum, at 250-428-9262 or mail@creston.museum.bc.ca.