Tour of the Arts 2011 will be painter Lori Baugh Littlejohns’ first year as a featured artist, and she is very much looking forward to the July 31 event.

“I had heard about the tour for several years and was excited to learn more about the many artists in the valley showing and selling their work in beautiful locations,” said Littlejohns. “The event seemed to be a fabulous celebration and fun for locals and visitors alike.”

Originally, Littlejohns had been planning to volunteer her time to help with the tour this year, but instead decided to submit her work for consideration.

“I especially wanted to participate this year because I have a good inventory of my work and have partnered with a non-profit organization, Tools for Schools Africa Foundation, who will receive the proceeds of my sales,” Littlejohns explained.

Littlejohns works mainly with watercolours and oil paints.

Her artistic interest and journey began at a young age, watching her father paint every Sunday afternoon throughout her younger years.

According to Littlejohns, she would “marvel at his skills, talent, and sheer joy of painting.”

To this day, many of Littlejohns’ father’s paintings still grace her walls, as well as many other works by other family members and friends.

In 1980, Littlejohns partnered with her father to establish an art-consulting company and gallery called Picture This,

For six years, Littlejohns also represented a group of international printmakers and sold their work through a retail gallery and at corporate presentations.

In the 1990s, Littlejohns was completing a graduate degree in the United States when a close friend and neighbour first put a paint brush in her hands.

However, it wasn’t until Littlejohns returned to Canada that a friend urged her to explore her creative side fully. With her friend, Littlejohns went to a retreat which featured Canmore waterclour artist Donna Jo Massie.

Since then, Littlejohns has never stopped painting, and has had shows in Canmore at the Canmore Library and the Hot Glass Studio.

Her favourite subjects to paint are mountains, as she has a great love for them.

Littlejohns and her work will be on display at the Swansea Ranch location on the Tour.

As for what she hopes people will take away when visiting her station and work, Littlejohns said, “my love of mountains and, most particularly, the Columbia Valley.”

To learn more about Littlejohns and her work, visit loribaughlittlejohns.com