B.C. man's discovery of original painting proves meaningful for 83-year-old artist in Haida Gwaii
Although the range of products at Rory Perron’s store couldn’t be more different, from half a dozen office chairs to one pair of camouflaged hip waders with size 14 boots, his price tags are all the same.
“Post-it Notes!” Rory smiles, sticking them around his Local Liquidations store. “That’s my hi-tech pricing system.”
But Rory didn’t put a Post-It on what he found during a recent hotel liquidation. Instead of the typical art prints, he discovered a rare original painting.
“I’m not an artist type,” Rory says. “But even a guy like me could recognize the beauty of it.”
When Rory flipped the painting around, he found a couple of hidden newspaper articles attached to the back of the canvas. They profiled a Haida artist named Keenawaii Roberta Olson.
“So we did a little research on the internet,” Rory says. He found a woman with the same name running a restaurant in far away Haida Gwaii called Keenawaii’s Kitchen, and gave her a call.
“I was surprised,” Roberta says, on a FaceTime call from her home in Skidegate. “I appreciate what he did to remind me of my life a long time ago.”
The now-83-year-old says she hadn’t seen the painting in almost 45 years and offered to buy it back.
That’s exactly what Rory had hoped for.
“Maybe we’ve got something of value here, something of financial value,” Rory says. “But I didn’t realize that value was going to be something different in this case.”
He never expected that his phone conversation with Roberta would be so meaningful, and that her voice sharing the story of her Haida heritage would be so strong. Rory never expected to feel inspired to give her the painting for free.
“It’s a moving feeling to be able to connect two things that were separated a long time ago,” Rory says, fighting back tears.
Roberta’s granddaughter Elisha Henderson was certainly moved when she picked up the painting from Rory.
“That kind of generosity doesn’t come along every day,” Elisha says.
And now that it’s back in the family, Elisha hopes this new story associated with her grandmother’s painting will inspire future generations to be generous too.
“To continue giving,” Elisha smiles. “And be kind to others.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Canada's inflation rate jumps back to 2%, likely curbing large rate-cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate accelerated more than expected to 2.0 per cent in October as gas prices fell less than the previous month, data showed on Tuesday, likely diluting chances of another large rate cut in December.
Cargo plane goes off the runway at Vancouver International Airport
A jet carrying Amazon packages went off the runway at Vancouver International Airport Tuesday morning.
Toddler dies from drug toxicity in Niagara Falls, Ont.
A 40-year-old woman is facing charges in the death of a toddler who was found without vital signs in a Niagara Falls, Ont., home last year. Niagara regional police say officers found the two-year-old child after they were called to a home on Nov. 21, 2023.
Ex-husband of mass rape victim Gisele Pelicot set to speak in court
Gisele Pelicot, subjected to mass rape organized by her husband over 10 years, on Tuesday condemned the cowardice of the dozens of men accused of abusing her who claim they didn't realize it was rape, adding France's patriarchal society must change.
Organic carrots recalled in Canada due to E. coli
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has posted a recall for both baby and whole organic carrot brands sold at multiple grocery stores due to E. coli contamination.
Paul Teal, actor from 'One Tree Hill,' dead at age 35
Paul Teal, a film and TV actor known best for his role in the CW's teen soap 'One Tree Hill,' has died, according to a statement from his agent Susan Tolar Walters. He was 35.
BREAKING Reports of male armed with knife on U of M campus: Winnipeg police
The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) is warning the public about a male armed with a knife at the U of M campus.
Forecasters issue 'bomb cyclone' warning for B.C., with 120 km/h winds predicted
An Environment Canada meteorologist says a so-called 'bomb cyclone' is expected to bring powerful winds to Vancouver Island and the British Columbia coast this week.
With swastika flags and bellowed slurs, neo-Nazi marchers strode through Columbus. Ohio's governor and officials condemn it
Ohio officials have denounced a small contingent of neo-Nazis who paraded Saturday afternoon through a Columbus neighbourhood, waving flags featuring swastikas and shouting a racist slur, in the latest public demonstration by white nationalists in recent years across the United States.