Plein Air Painters of Idaho-Gertrude Hudson

A Canadian Heritage

In 1950 Gertrude Anderson (Hudson), a second-year art student, painted a mural in Heritage Hall on the campus of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Calgary, Alberta. In those days Heritage Hall was the only permanent building on campus. Gertrude restored this wildlife mural in 2001, at the time Heritage Hall was being restored and given historical status.
In October and November 2005 Gertrude painted a companion wildflower mural in Heritage Hall. Both murals, 21" x 162", are located on the third floor in the east and west central staircase towers. SAIT campus is located at 1301 16th Ave. N.W., Calgary, Alberta.

Gerturde Anderson (Hudson) working on Wildlife mural 1950 Photo: SAIT Archives		Gerturde Hudson working on Wildflower mural 2005 Photo: Russ Peters
Wildlife of Southern Alberta mural, 21" x 162" - 1950		Wildflowers of Southern Alberta mural in progress, 21" x 162" - 2005
Heritage Hall Rendering by Ron Ellis		Wildflower mural in progress - 2005 Photo: Jennifer Rattigan
Wildlife of Southern Alberta (Detail)		Wildflowers of Southern Alberta (Detail)

WildFLOWER FRENZY

My experience at this FINE old institution has come FULL circle. It was here that I FELT the FIRST FLOWERING of my artistic talents, and built a FOUNDATION in the FUNDAMENTALS that would inFORM all my FUTURE eFFORTS.

FINALLY, I am almost FINISHED, and have watched the gradual unFOLDING of my FRIEZE of wildFLOWERS, FOUND on the third FLOOR. One can almost smell their FRAGRANCE. It was a FORMIDABLE FEAT, but I FOUND that I had more FORTITUDE than I FIGURED. My FAITHFUL FACILITATOR has been by my side. The FRIENDLY people here have FASHIONED a FIRM FRAMEWORK under my FEET. It has FUNCTIONED well so I have had no FEAR of FALLING. Conditions have been most FAVORABLE.

I have worked FURIOUSLY, but not FRANTICALLY, FEVERISHLY, or FRENETICALLY. There hasn’t been time to FOOL around FRIVOLOUSLY. Paint has FLOWED FREELY. I have not FELT FATIGUED but FULLY FREE and unFETTERED.

There have been FREQUENT visitors, so I have had to be FAIRLY FLEXIBLE. FORMER FRIENDSHIPS have been FOSTERED, and new ones FORMED.

The FRIEZE has a FRESH and FESTIVE FEELING. The style may be out of FAVOR, but it FITS, and will remain bright and FAIR into the FORESEEABLE FUTURE. Comments have been FLATTERING, but it does not FOLLOW that FAME or FORTUNE will be FORTHCOMING.

There have been FEW FRUSTRATIONS and much FULFILLMENT. I have been FEATURED, FETED and FEASTED. I have had such FUN. I FEEL so FORTUNATE. This FANTASTIC experience will be FIXED in my memory FOREVER. I am FILLED to overFLOWING.

We will turn our FOOTSTEPS homeward FORTHWITH. The FORECAST has no snow FLURRIES, so we will not be FRIGID or FROZEN, but have FINE travelling weather.

FONDLY, Gertrude (and Jim)

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