Rescued cow inspires painting by Abbotsford woman using art to raise money for flood relief
The devastation from the recent floods in Abbotsford inspired one Sumas Mountain resident to use her artistic skills for a good cause.
Shaina Conn lives above the flood-stricken Sumas Prairie and was touched by a photo circulating online of a man who rescued cows in his boat.
"I saw the little cow's face and I just felt the need to create some art with it," she told CTV News Vancouver. "That's always something that I've turned to in my life when I feel strong feelings about things."
Conn put her paintbrush to paper and created a portrait of one of the cows on the boat. She wasn't sure what she would do with it at first but eventually decided to put it up for auction on the Abbotsford bidding wars Facebook group.
"I thought it might get $20," she said. "But people just started bidding and it just kept going higher and higher and it was amazing to see that."
The painting sold for $410 and now she plans to sell prints of it for $15 each. All of the proceeds will go towards disaster relief efforts through the Abbotsford Community Foundation.
Conn said she's overwhelmed by all the support she's received from her painting and so far she's raised more than $1,500.
"I had somebody in Mission offer to sell some of the prints at her art gallery," she said.
"It's just incredible to see where this painting went, I wasn't expecting any of this but I was hoping to do something with it that was going to contribute to the farmers and the devastation."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Mary Cranston.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.