ALAN BUTLER's
"Train Suite"
You can't live in Jasper
National Park without getting to know the Canadian National Railway and its
people. The townsite's main street runs parallel to CN's mainline.
The history of the town and its growth cannot be separated from the
trains. Traditionally Alan's work focused on the wilds of Jasper National
Park, but he often found himself off the beaten track in the omnipresence of the
railway.
In May 2005 Alan pays
tribute to the Railway and its people with the opening weekend of his ongoing exhibition of never before seen
watercolours and pencil drawings. Canadian National Railways - a vibrant
piece of Alberta's history.
The
CNtennial Suite can now be viewed in part on Alan's own blogsite
and at the Sawridge Inn in Jasper
For more information or to see Alan's work please contact
him!
____________________________________________
Thank you to Alisen for the
following!!
Jasperite's childhood memories inspire
paintings
by Alisen Charlten
Wednesday June 22, 2005
 |
Artist Alan Butler's recent watercolour collection
is on display this summer.
Alisen Charlten Photo
|
Jasper Booster — Since his childhood days spent trainspotting
on the tracks between London and Glasgow, Jasper artist Alan Butler has always
had an interest in the railroad.
As a boy, he spent much of his time playing with electric trains and railway
kits given to him by his father.
But the real passion of Butler’s life has always been his art. If you ask him
how long he’s been painting he will likely say, “since I was knee high to a
grasshopper.”
Butler has explored a variety of styles ranging from highly detailed pencil
sketching to painting animals and birds in acrylics.
More recently, much of his painting has consisted of natural landscapes, figures
and nudes.
But when Butler’s father died in 2002, his love of art became a way to deal
with grief and he started painting the trains that had held so much magic in his
youth.
With an his evolving interest in different styles and subjects, it seems natural
that two of his passions have now converged in his new collection.
Over the years, Butler has developed a great respect for the railroad and he
believes the railway and its people have helped make Canada what it is today. As
a proud Canadian, he views his recent collection of work as a tribute to the
continuing importance of the railway in Canadian life.
The display consists of watercolour renditions of train engines against their
natural backdrops of mountains and forests.
Butler describes the paintings as abstract realism. The trains are drawn to
scale with just enough detail to make them look real while the scenery and trees
are filled in with more of an impressionist approach using vague shapes and a
range of colours.
It’s taken Butler 20 years to switch from a more realistic and highly detailed
approach to drawing and painting to the more impressionistic style he enjoys
now.
He earns a living as a machinist millwright at JPL and still finds time to paint
almost every day. He truly believes that art can bring great things to
people’s lives.
“It’d be a lot better society if we were more into the arts -- anything,
ballet, painting, theatre.”
Butler’s work is located in the farthest west white building of the train
yard...southside of Connaught Drive under the yellow windsock. Entrance is
trackside.
The gallery is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
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Alan's personal website
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Purchase
a piece of Alberta Art and Rail History
**25%
of all sales of '6060' will be forwarded to the Association for restoration**
"6060 Jasper Siding"
Original Pencil Drawing
14x22
Reproductions are
available
Image 14 x22
matted ~ $195.00
Image
10x14 matted ~ $125.00
Image
5x7 matted ~ $40.00
This is
only one of over 25 images Alan prepared for the CNtennial Train Suite!