Art may not instinctively be what people go to the Cloverdale Rodeo to see.
But the West Fine Art Show (WFAS) has become a fixture at the annual rodeo and country fair over the past four years 鈥� and it will be back again this weekend.
Seven 91原创 artists will join another dozen painters from throughout the Lower Mainland, Nanaimo, Victoria, Penticton, and even as far away as Calgary to be part of this year鈥檚 Cloverdale Rodeo.
WFAS is once again being organized by Brian Croft 鈥� a 91原创 artist and retired airline pilot 鈥� who has pulled together a team of coveted western Canadian artists for the four-day display, running May 18 to 21.
In addition to Croft, other 91原创 visual artists include Joyce Trygg, Lalita Hamill, Drew Keilback, Patricia Falck, Catherine Traynor, and Ronald George Straight. And 91原创 guitarist John Gilliat will be performing throughout much of the show.
While the shows are fundamentally about exhibiting talented artists, these shows always have a charity component worked in to the fibre, Croft explained.
This year鈥檚 show at the rodeo is no exception.
There are now three West Fine Art Shows a year. The event, originally founded by the late Murray Phillips of 91原创, incorporates a fall show to benefit 91原创 Hospice (that this year will be staged at the Glass House Estate Winery), the rodeo show which has its own charity component, and new this year Croft introduced a third annual show held in March that benefits the 91原创 School District Foundation.
From this weekend鈥檚 show, partial proceeds from art sales will be donated to the Cloverdale Rodeo Youth Initiative Foundation and CHILD Foundation.
The latter is a cause close to the heart of WFAS founders, a tribute to the late Jeff Robinson.
CHILD Foundation is an organization founded by retired radio personality and art lover Red Robinson.
It funds research for children stricken with Crohn鈥檚 disease, ulcerative colitis, and liver disorders, and was launched in honour of his son, Jeff.
Jeff was diagnosed with Crohn鈥檚 at age 10, Croft explained.
鈥淗e was a great kid and grew into a fine young man who possessed a wonderful sense of optimism and a great sense of humour,鈥� Croft added.
鈥淏oth of these qualities served as medicine each and every day of his life.鈥�
Jeff did not recover from his 26th and final surgery. He died at the young age of 33.
鈥淛eff鈥檚 battle with Crohn鈥檚 disease was over, leaving us to remember his bravery and his smile,鈥� said Croft, noting this show will once again be a tribute.
Other artists participating included: Calgary鈥檚 Keith Andrews and Edward Anderson, Penticton鈥檚 Roger Arndt and Graham McKenzie, Victoria鈥檚 Natha Scott, Nanaimo鈥檚 Patricia Bank, Vancouver鈥檚 Bruce Muir, Coquitlam鈥檚 Ken Nash, Maple Ridge鈥檚 Neil Hamelin and Judy Vanderveen, and Cloverdale鈥檚 Anita Klein.
And a component of the show will also include the display of some emerging young artists. In this case, it will be the exhibit of work from students at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary.
