Jennifer Geens
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 12/04) - The City of Yellowknife's Heritage Committee has bought three new artworks -- including a painting of the endangered Robertson Shaft -- for its ever-growing collection.

Though this was only the third year an art show has been held at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre to coincide with heritage week, the Heritage Committee has been purchasing art since its inception in 1985.

"It's part of our mandate to preserve, protect and promote heritage," said committee chair James Lawrance.

The works are: Erik Watt: Larger than Life, a portrait by Terrance Pamplin; Last Winter at the Murphdome, a photo album by Fran Hercomb; and a painting of the Robertson Shaft at Con Mine by Dean Robertson.

Lawrance said the committee's criteria is broad, but that an artwork under consideration should depict some aspect of Yellowknife's heritage, ideally an aspect not already represented in the collection.

For example, the committee's collection already has a number of paintings of the Wildcat Cafe, so it's less likely they would buy another.

Dean Robertson's painting of the Robertson shaft was chosen because the Heritage Committee wanted a record of the 76 metre structure, which may be torn down, and they had not bought a work from Robertson before.

Robertson painted the landmark because it "has always meant something to me."

He remembered watching for it when he was out on boats as a child.

"If you're out on the lake stuck in rough water and you look up and see the Robertson tower, it's a sign that you're home," he said.

Robertson said finding the beauty in the plain red and white tower was an artistic challenge.

"I almost talked myself out of painting it," he said.

In his acrylic rendition, the shaft is straight-lined and boldly coloured, juxtaposed with the softer, natural landscape surrounding it.

The three chosen artworks, along with the other entries, remain on display at the Heritage Cafe on the museum's second floor until the end of the month.

The art the committee buys gets displayed at the Yellowknife Public Library, at City Hall and at the Baker Centre.