If one is in Oliver, British Columbia, and you happen to look way up at the massive cliff of McIntyre Bluff the first thing you notice is the well known rock formation of “The Chief.” This unique rock formation viewed from a distance continues to be proclaimed a spiritual natural wonder in the South Okanagan. Far below, lies the Okanagan River, and this particular section of the river near Oliver as seen in this painting, has been restored to a likeness of the original meandering river with gravel bars and pools that provide habitat for salmon and trout. “From the Pacific Ocean, salmon began their long journey home to the Okanagan valley, swimming nearly 1,200 km before reaching spawning areas in the Okanagan Basin. Salmon was a primary food source for the Syilx, or Okanagan people. Beginning in late summer, as the salmon returned to spawn in the Okanagan River, large fishing camps were set up at Okanagan Falls, as it is known today.

Okanagan artist, Dorothy Tinning, combines her distinctive style of art with a sincere affection and respect for the First Nation people and their culture. A bold use of colour, appreciation of light, and emphasis on mood, charges her work as a celebration of nature. Dorothy works out of her studio in Penticton, British Columbia.