Wendy Wells-Bailey painted the Owl Pub for Our Town, a new show at the Okanagan Art Gallery in which artists recreated spots around Osoyoos. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)

By Vanessa Broadbent

Osoyoos Times

Local artists are teaming up to show what Osoyoos looks like to them.

Our Town, a new exhibit at the Okanagan Art Gallery, is a collection of pieces showcasing spots around Osoyoos, some easily recognizable, and others only somewhat familiar.

Gallery curator Diane Carter pitched the idea to member artists, who were quick to start creating.

“They just thought it was great,” Carter said. “They thought it was fabulous because it gave them a challenge, something they hadn’t done, and it was a continuity show and that’s what I like to do.”

Artists were only given the show title as inspiration, and while several local spots are depicted in different pieces, they each take on new life with each artist’s unique style or medium.

Painter Wendy Wells-Bailey decided to take on what she considers one of Osoyoos’ “heartbeats,” the Owl Pub.

• Read more: Music in the Park ends best-attended season to date

“I thought I’d do the town hall, but when I really looked at the Owl Pub, which we go to all the time, I thought what a fabulous building it is,” she said.

Wells-Bailey didn’t find out until after completing her painting that the Owl Pub sits on the same site as the former Rialto Hotel, before that called the Lady of the Lake – the same name of another one of her paintings.

“I thought it was coincidental, but apparently that burnt down so there’s quite of a history.”

Getting to see which spots each artist chose and how they decided to portray it is a reminder of Osoyoos’ beauty, Carter said.

“I’ve usually lived in a tourist town and so it’s very easy to become blasé and you just have to stand back for a minute and say ‘you know what, this is a beautiful place,’ and this is – this is just wonderful.”

Our Town is on display at the Okanagan Art Gallery, located at #5 8302 Main St. until Sept. 21. The art gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Our Town, a new show at the Okanagan Art Gallery, features work showcasing Osoyoos. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)