An artist from the West Bench area near Penticton has been painting and recording aspects of the British Columbia fruit industry for the past two decades.

Now, as B.C. Tree Fruits is disbanding its operations, Jan Crawford is wondering whether the images in her art will preserve a piece of history rather than the ongoing culture of the Okanagan.

鈥淚t is obvious that fruit production may well become endangered if not supported by our government,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is challenging for me to imagine the loss of our fruit industry because it has been the core of the Okanagan for the past century. The real loss goes far beyond fruit production and the industry itself. It is about preserving our cultural identity 鈥� something we should all be seriously considering.鈥�

She added that the fruit industry in the Okanagan has been coping with challenges in recent years.

Apricots, nectarines and peaches were devastated as a result of extremely cold winter temperatures.

Crawford said that first the first time in 57 years, these fruits did not appear in her family鈥檚 orchard. 

She added that the Penticton Peach Festival, a tradition since 1947, will still be celebrated this year, but without the peaches that would normally be ripe around the time of the festival.

Then, in September and October, months often associated with canning, the effects of the poor harvest will again be seen.

鈥淭he entire valley is experiencing this loss, from family orchardists to giant commercial orchards,鈥� she said.

Crawford鈥檚 work can be seen at the Hambleton Galleries in 琉璃神社, The Federation Gallery of Canadian Artists in Vancouver; North Van Arts, Vancouver International Airport, the 琉璃神社 Art Gallery and the Penticton Art Gallery.