Dobson on display

Local artist produces more than 40 paintings per year – many of Cumberland

AMHERST, NS (2009-07-23)   Known by many within the County as “Buster”, Harvey Dobson recalls when his first wanted to paint.  “I’m in my early 70’s now,” said Dobson with a wry smile, “and I remember at the age of ten I had asked my father for an oil paint set from a local shop window just before Christmas.  I didn’t get it that year but I did get it the following year so I guess I’ve been doing artwork of some type for the last six decades.”

For a county rich in its history and living within a town whose motto speaks to the pride of its people and their work, Harvey Dobson is a part of that fabric combining history, culture, people and product within his artworks.   A longtime area artist, Dobson has painted a wide variety of county images for people over the decades.   His works have ranged from signage for local merchant windows, murals for local businesses and business leaders, and the capturing of landscapes close to people’s hearts.  “My favorite place to paint is the Parrsboro Shore,” he said, “and my favorite store signage was Moss Jewellers because of the gold leaf work I did on it.” 

A prolific painter, Dobson paints daily and produces close to 40 or more works per year.  “I’m a regular donor to the auctions held in support of the local hospital foundation and to Transition House,” explained Dobson, “but every now and then I like to paint someone from a picture or photo and give it to that person.”    An outdoorsman himself, Dobson recently completed a portrait of Wildlife Channel television celebrity Jim Shockey of “Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventure’s” which he then sent onto Shockley.  Dobson has since received a letter of appreciation with a photo of Shockey & his father posing with the portrait.

DOBSON WORKING ON ONE OF HIS MANY PIECESA dozen of Dobson’s works are now on display at the art galleries housed at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre.   Two varied pieces of work currently being exhibited include “Jacko,” a homage to the late Michael Jackson, and a reproduction of Salvadore Dali’s Christ of St. John on the Cross.   

“You may have unknowingly seen his artwork around town,” said Joe Gauthier of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation, “simply go the cash counter area at the local Harrison’s building centre in Nappan and look up at the mural or visit Weston bakeries in the industrial park and see the mural there.”    The Cumberland Health Care Foundation manages the four galleries with a portion of each sale going towards the purchase of medical equipment for the regional acute care centre.
  
Also exhibiting during the months of July and August are works by Arlene Collins and photography by both Andrew Frenette and Michael Gaul.