West Fraser

by Sarah Judson March 24, 2014

Award-winning artist West Fraser has painted throughout the Caribbean, Central America, Europe and Scandinavia, yet his passion always draws him back to the marshes and landscape of his beloved Georgia and South Carolina Coast. Recently, he created a fun project, Painting in a Tree, to raise funds (and awareness) for various non-profits. He actually hangs a finished painting in a tree, with instructions for the finder to make a donation to a favorite charity.

The first painting, a 6 x 8 inch oil on panel titled Dungeness Ruins, Cumberland Island, was recovered on Cumberland Island by Canadian sailors Mike and Barb Turney who were heading home to Nova Scotia from their summer sojourn in the Keys. The painting, now mounted on the bulkhead of their 42’ Ketch, Nelleke, prompted the couple to donate to the Cancer Society and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in their home town Halifax. The couple also passed through Charleston after making contact with the artist and met to share their story.

Shown here are an 11"x14" oil on panel entitled Morning Tones (top) and a 10"x8" oil on linen entitled On the Rocks (right). His website also has a journal entry with the text of a speech he gave about the roll of the arts in the new creative economy. "Industry studies have established that workers who played an instrument, acted in plays or were otherwise engaged in the arts were better members of their team, stayed in their job longer, were more productive & were better at customer service."
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