The Group of Five - Award Winning Artists

The group formed in Prince George, 2008 in order to support one another market our artwork. We started with an exhibit for the National Conference of Colleges at the College of New Caledonia in June, and held our first successful Art Show & Sale in November. The show was sponsored by Direct Art, The Prince George Citizen, CKPG TV, 101.3 FM The River and 99.3 FM The Drive, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Spirit of the North Foundation.

Unique Feature: The Group of Five - Award Winning Artists: The five painters in the group have all won a place in the Ducks Unlimited Canadian National Art Portfolio and all reside in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

Joe Ferrante: click image to enlarge

Joe Ferrante has been portraying nature and its creatures for the past 20 years. He works in acrylic mostly as it suits his realistic style. Joe is also an avid photographer, spending hours out in the field, shooting pictures for reference, and sketching ideas for prospective canvases. Every year Joe donates some of his artwork to raise money for various wildlife and habitat organizations. He considers it an honour to be able to help the many charitable societies that call on him for his patronage. In 2003 "Northern Lights" (wolves) was selected for the Ducks Unlimited Art Program. For 2000 his "Chickadees and Crabapples" was selected as British Columbia Ducks Unlimited "Artist of the Year". That same year, "Evening Song: Timber Wolves" was selected by Ducks Unlimited Canada for their National Art Print Portfolio. Joe has also placements in the BC Wildlife Federation artist of the year program; 2nd in 1996, 3rd in 1999, 3rd in 2000, 2nd and 3rd in 2001, and 2nd in 2002. Contact Joe at (250) 962-8063 or www.joeferrante.com

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Kenneth Ferris: click image to enlarge

Kenneth Ferris is a completely self-taught artist whose accomplishments include 1984 Artist of the Year for Duck Unlimited Canada, 1993 and 2000 winner of the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp competition. Exhibitions include: "Birds in Art" and "Wildlife: The Artist View" at Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau Wisconsin, and "Animal Art in the Park" Algonquin Park, Ontario. Ken illustrated, wrote and successfully published "The Rockies: An Artist's View". Contact Ken at (250) 964-0956.

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Sandra Nahornoff: click image to enlarge

Sandra Nahornoff has been donating original art to raise funds for conservation programs since 1995. Her commitment to conservation is backed by years of volunteering for local and provincial conservation organizations and fish and wildlife enhancement projects. She's won the BC Wildlife Federation Artist of the Year 2003 and again in 2006, along with a place in the Ducks Unlimited National Art Portfolio in 2006. Sandra was also inducted into the Community Arts Council of Prince George & District's "Arts Gallery of Honour" in 2007 for Visual Arts. She is an avid photographer of wildlife and scenery using her photos as reference material for her sketches and paintings. Her photo adventures have taken her as far as Russia to photograph grizzlies, Japan for gardens and birds, and throughout BC & Alberta. Sandra enjoys helping others develop their gifts and has been teaching oil painting at the Artist Co-op Workshop and Gallery to people with special needs since 1997. Contact Sandra at (250) 962-9320 or www.sandranahornoff.com

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Wilf Schlitt: click image to enlarge

Wilf Schlitt is a wildlife artist from Prince George, BC, and has been painting over 20 years. Wilf says, "Painting has afforded me the opportunity to meet some of the most fascinating people as well as visit some of the most spectacular places in creation." Wilf won BC Wildlife Artist of the Year in 1998, the Guide Outfitters Association of BC Artist of the Year 2000 and awarded a place in the Ducks Unlimited National Art Portfolio for 2003, 2004 & 2005, and 2006. Contact Wilf at (250) 561-1304 or www.wilfschlitt.com

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Lesley White: click image to enlarge

Lesley White is a full time professional artist specializing in Western Art and has been painting in oils for ten years. Her work is a collection of witnessed or experienced events in the life of the working cowboy. Time spent in the saddle and painting outdoors are the main methods used to gather photo and colour references in order to later compose a painting in her studio. Lesley has earned a place in such venues as Duck's Unlimited's National Art Print Portfolio 2006, 2007, 2008; The Greenhouse Gallery's Salon International, Texas, where she was awarded for artistic excellence and made the jury's Top 50; The Phippen Museum, Arizona; The Museum of the Horse, Kentucky; The Calgary Stampede Western Art Salon and Pierre Belvedere's Canadian Artist Collection, Montreal. Western Horseman; Western Horse Review; Canadian Cowboy Country; Rocky Mountain Rider; are just a few of the publications that have recognized and featured Lesley's work. She has been a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists for several years and is a member of Oil Painters of America. Her unyielding passion for the process and a thirst to learn, grow and discover all aspects of fine art, is what keeps Lesley excited and motivated to continue exploring her expressive potential. Contact: (250) 563-2299 or www.oilsbylesley.com