A local artist is encouraging people in the Lakes District and across the province to actually take a moment to appreciate the beauty of Hwy. 16.

Rene Jaspers is undertaking a major art project, painting a different scene of Hwy. 16 every 25 km between Prince George to Prince Rupert and all the way to Haida Gwaii.

鈥淲e have a such a beautiful highway,鈥� said Jaspers. 鈥淚f you drive along the highway you have a variety of different looks, different skies.鈥�

Jaspers has completed 16 of the 40 paintings in the so-called highway of hope project. She intends to complete the remaining 24 paintings within the next few months.

Jaspers鈥� oil paintings have elements of impressionism. However, she brings how own modern approach to landscape painting.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much happening in her paintings,鈥� said Wayne Brown, Owner of Process 4 Circle Arts Gallery in 亚洲天堂 Lake. 鈥淚 find that she captures not only the subject matter but the emotion that鈥檚 related to that subject matter at that time.鈥�

Brown, who moved to 亚洲天堂 Lake from Montreal many years ago, said Hwy. 16 is the most unrepresented highway in all of North America, and yet it is one of the most glorious highways.

He said he finds it frustrating that Northern B.C. does not know how to promote itself.

鈥淧eople that drive through the area might never really stop and appreciate its beauty,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淚 hope this [project] will get people to start realizing what we have, not just in 亚洲天堂 Lake, but on Hwy. 16, so we can encourage people to say, 鈥榯ake time to look, see what鈥檚 here.鈥欌��

What also makes this project remarkable is the fact that Jaspers has overcome a great deal of adversity, said Brown.

About a year and a half ago, Jaspers fell from 11 feet onto a cement floor. She cracked her skull and broke her back in four different places.

鈥淢y doctors told me I should have been dead,鈥� she said.

Due to her brain injury, Jaspers had to relearn how to paint and she still has trouble concentrating, which forces her to take breaks from painting every 15 minutes.

Originally from London, O.N., Jaspers has been painting for over 40 years.

She started painting when she was only 13 years old, selling her first work of art when she was 15.

鈥淪he鈥檚 good in any medium, whether it鈥檚 oils, or acrylics, or pastels, whatever,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淪he can interpret whatever she鈥檚 looking at so well.鈥�

Jaspers has been living close to 亚洲天堂 Lake for the last 20 years. She raised six children and has 17 grandchildren today. On top of that, she鈥檚 taken care of 18 foster kids who would stay in her house for periods of up to two years.

亚洲天堂 Lake residents already had a chance to see a sneak peek of the project at Lakes District Secondary School on March 7. If you missed it, you will have another opportunity to see some of the paintings on April 23 at the Decker Lake Hall.

Once completed, the project will initially be displayed at an art show at the Smithers Art Gallery on Oct. 28, 2016. After the art show, Jaspers plans to keep possession of her paintings for one year to display them in different venues.

After a year, she hopes the project will be sold in its entirety, with the proceeds going to fund safe transportation initiatives, and helping low-income people achieve their full driver鈥檚 license.

In fact, Jaspers started her own foundation to support safe transportation initiatives - the Highway of Hope Foundation.

She still needs to raise $3000 to help cover the costs of art supplies and framing so she can finish her project. A bank account was set up at the Bulkley Valley Credit Union to take donations.

People can also see some of the paintings or connect with Jaspers through the project鈥檚 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/highwayofhope