PAINTING

Description: FRAMED WATERCOLOR ON PAPER. "BOAT & BARGES LOADED WITH COAL ON BELLY RIVER FROM COALBANKS TO MEDICINE HAT 1883-84." SIGNED *NOTE* IN 2015 THE WATERCOLOUR WAS REMOVED FROM AN ACIDIC MAT. THE MAT WAS DISCARDED.

History: ARTIST, IRENE ELEANOR MCCAUGHERTY (NEE WHEELER), BORN IN HARDIEVILLE AB. NOV. 27 1914, ATTENDED SCHOOL IN LETHBRIDGE AT FLEETWOOD, CENTRAL, LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE & GARBUTT BUSINES COLLEGE. AFTER MARRIAGE, MOVED TO FORT MACLEOD AREA RANCH BUT POOR HEALTH FORBADE AN ACTIVE PART IN RANCH ACTIVITIES. SHE DEVELOPED INTEREST IN ART & HISTORY THROUGH PAINTING & WRITING. THE LONG WIDE FORMAT COMES FROM A LIFETIME OF LOOKING AT SCENES THROUGH A TRUCK WINDSHIELD. HER WORK IS CHARACTERIZED AS HERITAGE ART. THIS COLLECTION OF 30 PCES DONATED BY ARTIST AS THE LETHBRIDGE HERITAGE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE 1985 CENTENNIAL OF LETHBRIDGE CITY. SEE ALSO P19820003001-GA FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORY. P19820003001-4-GA FOR ADDITIONAL WORKS IN PERMANENT COLLECTION. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. SHE FOUND FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTIST IN THE PERMANENT FILE - SEE RECORD P20060016036.