Alberta art mistakenly sold in Parks Canada gift shop

Staff at an Alberta national historic site are desperate to find a man who bought a painting that should have never been sold.

“We had the perfect storm; we had a brand new staff member. She had opened the store 10 minutes earlier,” said Laurie Rowe, a board member with Friends of the Bar U Ranch, a local volunteer organization that works with Parks Canada at the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site.

“What were the chances of someone walking in, seeing that and going, ‘Oh how much is that? Is that for sale?’”

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The original painting depicting the site south of Longview, Alta., before its ranching days was unwittingly sold to an unknown buyer on July 8.

The artwork, entitled Bison on the Western Range by Calgary artist Corrie Buwalda, was on display in the Bar U Ranch Gift Shop, which also displays artifacts, relics and other homages to western history.

Details about the sale are not being shared, but Rowe estimates the painting could be worth up to $10,000 if it were ever to be put up for sale, and Buwalda says it was a priceless addition to the ranch.

“I paint because I enjoy it; it’s not the monetary value of it or anything. It means more to me to have it there,” Buwalda told CTV News on Tuesday.

She says she supports the group’s efforts to recover the painting.

“It’s not a crime; it was an error. We would just like to fix that error and bring the painting home,” said Rowe.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Friends of the Bar U Ranch by calling 403-395-3993, 403-369-4531 or 403-395-3330.

Emails can also be sent to [e-mail] or [e-mail].

The group says it offers a full refund to the buyer and will arrange pickup.

Parks Canada says Bar U Ranch National Historic Site aims to provide an authentic experience, and the Friends of the Bar U uphold a high standard.

“It’s the only spot in Canada that celebrates that authentic evolution of ranching in Canada,” said Christy Gustavison, visitor experience manager with Parks Canada.

Admission is free because of the Canada Strong initiative, and the site is open through Sept. 30.