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The Assiniboia and District Arts Council recently published a feature on local artist, Beth Stobbs, in their December newsletter.

Artist Beth Stobbs originated in the Palmer/Gravelbourg area. Stobbs has lived much of her life in urban and rural southern Saskatchewan.

Stobbs executes most of her artwork in oil on stretched canvases. The artist has also worked with other mediums including alcohol ink, acrylic paint, stained glass, clay and fabric. However, Stobbs’ favourite medium is oil.

Stobbs loves painting the Saskatchewan countryside and wildlife. Her paintings are reminiscent of the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, with many of her scenes beginning at the lower, ground level horizon – an ideal viewpoint for Saskatchewan's landscape painters, because cloud formations in the Canadian Prairies are often grand and dramatic.

Stobbs also uses rivers, lakes and other water bodies in scenes composed with dark or muted colours, contrasting with expansive meadows and roadways, along with the appearance of anchoring objects such as hay rolls, allowing her landscapes to have a Flemish appearance, which are nevertheless meshed with overtones of СÀ¶ÊÓƵ Central Saskatchewan throughout.

Stobbs is self-taught, although her aunt – an instructor from the Banff School of Fine Arts – gave her some lessons on techniques in painting. Stobbs has also taken local classes with the intent of improving her work, or trying new approaches – most artists would agree that experimentation can be one of the most exciting aspects of art.  

Her paintings were exhibited in Alberta and Saskatchewan in mixed-media group showings over the last 40 years. Stobbs has also displayed her works in Assiniboia's Shurniak Art Gallery and the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina.

Her work has been adjudicated by the Federation of Canadian Artists as well as the Assiniboia and District Arts Council. For more on Stobbs’ artwork, see Beth’s Art Studio @ Woodriverart on Facebook.