Limited edition Giclées

by John Crittenden

Since his first one-person show at Lambs Art Gallery in Calgary, Alberta in 1966 John Crittenden has never wavered from painting and recording the history of western Canada. During a career of 50 years as of this writing he has produced more than 1,200 paintings and had countless one-person shows across Canada in venues ranging from commercial art galleries to the National Art Centre.

John is of Irish and Anishinabe Ojibway ancestry whose Canadian lineage can be traced back to Ojibway Indians living in the White Mud River settlement on the shores of Lake Manitoba.

This Website showcases four collections of limited edition Giclées of John's paintings and photography, some poetry written over the last 55 years and his thoughts on personal freedom.

Canada West

Mountain Man, Rocky Mountains, 1790

	Sentinel

We are offering signed and numbered limited edition Giclées of a few of the many paintings John has produced over his career. This collection records the early history of a land that stretches from the prairies and foothills of Alberta to the rainforests of British Columbia.

The Mountain Man, or fur trapper, roamed the North American Rocky Mountains from about 1810 to the early 1840s. Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, Jim Clyman and Edward Rose are names that, to this day, are still associated with this tough, romantic era in history. The Mountain Man, very much a loner, seems to radiate the individuality and spirit of the early visitors to the Canadian West. The Sentinel is a wonderful example of the minimalist period in John's career when he limited his palette to only three earthy colours.

History of Transportation

Simon Fraser and the Voyageur Canoe, 1805

This major collection includes a new release of signed and numbered limited edition Giclées on paper and canvas of paintings from the official portfolio of limited edition prints for Expo 86.

This collection was released under license as "the official portfolio of limited edition prints for Expo 86." It received the endorsement of Expo 86, the Government of British Columbia and General Motors of Canada and was presented to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales by the Honourable Claude Richmond, Minister of Tourism, on behalf of Expo 86 and the Government of B.C. It was featured in several shows across Canada including the Expo 86 site, the McLaughlin Museum In Oshawa and the National Art Centre in Ottawa among many others.

"The History of Transportation chronicles the early history of man's attempts to move about this land called Canada, from the first visit of the Vikings in their ship, the Karv, in AD 900, to the first mercy flight in Canadian aviation history in 1930. It conveys the romance, mystery and dedication of man's constant commitment to master the great distances of his world as a personal activity, a social service and an industry." Claude Richmond, Minister of Tourism.

A Walk Around Vancouver at Night

Contemplating Vancouver at Night

It has been said that the beauty of old Europe knows no equal. This collection proves that to be incorrect. Even before the camera Vincent knew: "It often seems to me that the night is much more alive and richly colored than the day."

Night in Queen Elizabeth Park

Photography in its purest sense is an artistic medium and is accepted as such around the world today. Many fine art photographers are also artists. Fine art photography is sometimes so challenging, at least for me, that I often think it would be easier to "just paint it..." But when everything falls into place and "it happens", the feeling is "Wow!"

	In Granville Island

The challenge for the photographer is to compose as much as possible in the camera. In street photography nothing's staged, and I often have to return to a location when conditions seem right, when the sun is low in the western sky, or when someone is available to "turn on some lights".

The term "Night photography" is a misnomer. It should rightly be called "available light photography".

When I use a model it's often hit or miss. When I have the shot I want, I make final edits in the darkroom.

Fine art photography stands in contrast to photojournalism and commercial photography. It is as much a creative process as is painting and sculpture. Limited edition photography is now accepted as an art form worldwide.

Flowers in the Night

	Explosion of Colors in the Night

I've heard some say that flowers don't bloom at night. I've come to realize that they certainly do. Nature keeps to her own timetable and flowers in particular seem to decide on their own about a lot of things. Usually many will close up when it gets dark, perhaps for protection. But I've seen several that stay open for an hour or so after it gets completely dark, some even longer. These images are some of those. You just have to be there at the right time I guess.

I've noticed that some flowers remain in bloom under the moonlight, and disappear as soon as the first rays of sun hit them. It truly is a magic time for a photographer and you just never know when you might see one of those little fairies some people I know talk about.