ELIZABETH WILTZEN, "Faces of Peru," March 21 to April 19, 2009, Gibson Fine Art, Calgary

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"The Last Hour"

Elizabeth Wiltzen, "The Last Hour," oil on canvas, 30" X 60".

ELIZABETH WILTZEN, Faces of Peru

Gibson Fine Art, Calgary

March 21 to April 19, 2009

By Dina O'Meara

An avid backcountry hiker, Elizabeth Wiltzen has left the Rocky Mountains to explore the people and places of Peru. Wiltzen recently spent a month touring and hiking the South American country, moving from the city to the rugged trails up in the Andes. The exotic faces, street scenes, colours and geography compelled her to tackle the unique cultural and physical landscapes. “I was really jazzed by how visually different they are, from every level,” she says. “I was intrigued by them and felt excited about doing something new.” The Canmore-based artist isn’t changing her style so much as shaking it up and invigorating herself through the exploration of new themes. She’s best known for her intimate oil mountain landscapes, inviting the viewer to experience the weighty silence of a snowed-in mountain pool, or the sheen of sun off a fir-lined lake. Wiltzen also recently started experimenting with urban themes by participating in an on-line project by an American artist to interpret posted photographs.