The highway of tears will be represented as the Highway of Hope through a series of 30 paintings showcasing the natural beauty along Highway 16.
Artist Rene Jasper’s paintings will be on display at the Smithers Art Gallery.
She says the money made from selling the series will benefit low-income or young people looking to get their license.
“Somebody to help with a vehicle or helps with the gas for the vehicle. It’s not just for women, it’s for men, too. If you have your license you can help others, too,” says Jasper.
“To help one women, I could be helping her children, I could be helping her grandparents…It can grow.”
Jasper says the non profit group Highway of Hope helps anyone struggling to get their license, as well as other services for people to stay safe on the highway.
Jaspers was an outreach support worker until an accident left her with a brain injury unable to work.
“A year and a half ago I fell from 11 feet onto a cement floor onto my head. And my doctors tell me I shouldn’t even be living anymore. So instead of just sitting there talking about it, I’m gonna do my bucket list.”
“My husband stops the car, I have five steps I can take from the car to take a photo, then I take these photos home and I work with them and they become my painting” Jaspers said.
The paintings are on display right now at the Smithers Art Gallery where she’s looking for a single buyer to keep the series together.
A Highway of Hope account is set up at the Bulkley Valley Credit Union to take donations, too.
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