A watercolour painting of the MV Frances Barkley could be the next 'Iconic Alberni' puzzle for Arrowsmith Rotary in Port Alberni.
Kama Money's painting was the runaway winner in the people's choice portion of the exhibit that wrapped up March 1, 2025 at the Grove Gallery at Harbour Quay. Money won $500 and the chance to have her artwork created into a puzzle.
This is the second year the Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley has held an exhibit featuring landmarks of the Alberni Valley. This year's exhibition included several artworks depicting both the Hawaii Mars and Philippine Mars waterbombers, both of which have left the area after 60 years of aerial firefighting service. There were also artworks of the No. 7 Steam Train, Mt. Arrowsmith and other well-known areas.
"It went really well," arts administrator Angela Skaley said of the show. "We had great feedback."
"People were coming in specifically to vote," said Adrianna Derbyshire, the Grove's gallery co-ordinator, adding many people were excited "for just being involved. And they loved the variety of art."
There were 16 artists that submitted 29 pieces to the Rotary-sponsored show. Money submitted three paintings: her other two were of the No. 7 Baldwin steam train and the Maritime Discovery Centre lighthouse.
She said it was gratifying to hear from family and friends that they visited the Grove Gallery for the first time just so they could vote. "Driving people to go into the Grove Gallery and look at all the other amazing paintings and works that were submitted, it makes me feel really proud."
Of the 400 votes cast for people's choice, 300 were for Money's paintings, said Pam Craig from Arrowsmith Rotary. The Frances Barkley watercolour was the most popular. "It's a beautiful one, it's lovely," said Craig. "It's absolutely an iconic image of the Valley. She did three beautiful items and they all represented the Valley."
Craig said it's still up in the air whether Money's painting will be selected for the 2025 fundraising puzzle. "Now our issue is to go through all the criteria of what is the best image used for the puzzle," she said.
The puzzle company, based in Langley, B.C., will give them some guidance. The company will likely be printing the puzzle in September in time for Christmas gift-giving season. With the previous puzzle Craig pre-sold nearly 200 of the 500 puzzles printed (of Shelley Penner's winning acrylic painting of a vintage truck at McLean Mill).
Proceeds from sale of the puzzles go back to Arrowsmith Rotary to help fund community literacy programs and to help disadvantaged members of the community.
Money got back into watercolour painting this year after a 20-year departure. She first took lessons from Karen Poirier of Port Alberni when she was a teenager, she recalled. "My mom wanted me to have a hobby," Money said.
She adopted her mentor's style, working on large pieces—a lot of which were of flowers, Money recalled. She went to art school when VIU was known as Malaspina University-College and became an art teacher. That's when she set her own interests aside in order to cultivate those of her students.
She picked up a paintbrush again last year when she began undergoing treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer, after she realized she couldn't work through these treatments. "I'm able to do watercolour painting at my kitchen table while visiting with my family, and it's a great way to keep my nervous system calm."
Money has graduated from florals to urban sketching—a more impressionistic style of capturing buildings or places or ordinary moments. She said it has been challenging for her "perfectionist" nature to not overwork her paintings. She has painted nearly two dozen buildings around Port Alberni and has been painting pictures of people's houses by donation. Anything she makes goes toward her naturopathic treatments for cancer.
"I'm tremendously grateful and honoured," Money said of her win. "I never expected to win, especially with the number of artists and professional artists."
While this was her first foray into art exhibits, she is already in discussions with fellow painter Guy Langlois about putting on a joint exhibit in 2026. Meanwhile, her work can be viewed on Instagram @portalbernisketchbook.
