Okanagan Sunflowers

The Work

The work is an acrylic-on-canvas painting of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza Sagittata) by local artist Jo Scott-B. This drought tolerant, exuberant wildflower was an important food plant for First Nation peoples and was selected as Kelowna's official flower in 2000.

The Project

In 2002, the City invited artists to create a 2-dimensional work of art that depicted Kelowna’s official flower. The one-stage competition with a budget of $1,000 was sponsored by the City of Kelowna, Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, and the Diggers and Weeders Garden Club. Jo Scott-B's submission was selected from over 100 submissions.

The Artist

Jo Scott-B was born in 1941 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has been a Canadian citizen since 1966 when she came to the Okanagan Valley. Her paintings can be seen in numerous corporate collections.

“When I first arrived in the Okanagan Valley in the 1960’s one of my earliest paintings was of the Okanagan Sunflower. Over the years, I have continued to draw and paint the striking flower, both as individual studies and as a part of a larger landscape. It is this powerful valley landscape which continues to exert a large influence over my work.”