February 6, 2008 - Media Release

From pastels to cast cotton paper
Cumberland Health Care Gallery exhibit updated

AMHERST, NS (February 6, 2008) – The Cumberland Health Care Art Gallery located on the main floor of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre is currently exhibiting the works of Cristina Chesterman Sidhu (pastels), Shirley Atkinson (watercolor), Sherry Fowler (oils/acrylics), and Valerie Stone (hand cast cotton paper).

Sidhu, Christina

Originally from New Jersey, Sidhu inherited a natural ability from her birthparents, who are both working artists, and was drawing constantly from the time she could hold a crayon. Upon moving to Amherst in 2006, Sidhu began experiencing a heightened inspiration from the natural beauty of the Maritimes for her works.

“They’re quite beautiful pieces,” said Joe Gauthier, managing director for the Cumberland Health Care Foundation, “both the “Seven Sisters” and the “Miner’s Pause” are my two of my favorites of her collection being exhibited”. Stone, is native of Springhill, is self-taught and works in a wide variety of mediums. Her pieces can be seen in several exhibits that occur annually in and around Maritime locals and in the homes of private collectors. Although she has created pieces for a vast array of corporations including Disney, Warner Bros., DC Comics and the United Features Syndicate, her crowning achievement was the design and sculpture of the East Coast Music Award. Her current hand cast cotton paper images of herons and another of orchids provides a very clean sense, pristine look of an older era.

Atkinson, a watercolorist from Amherst, first started working in oils and then grew into a love of watercolor. Learning techniques from other artists and workshops, her collection of landscapes is quite lovely.

Fowler, who works at the regional hospital in Amherst, always wanted to be an artist and can remember sketching or painting water colors with beet juice and instant coffee mixed with water. “My entire life I wanted to be an artist”, said Fowler, “I work in the hospital system and I see people looking at the artwork each day. It’s nice for them to take their mind off other things for awhile.”.

The Cumberland Health Care Art Gallery has a total of four galleries at the regional hospital with a portion of each sale going towards the Equipment Fund of the Foundation.

The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is a registered Canadian not-for-profit charity dedicated to enhancing the provision of a high standard of health care within Cumberland County by raising funds and supporting new and improved services, programs, equipment and facilities. For additional information, please visit our website at www.chcfoundation.com.