What happens when two local artists have mastered the watercolour landscapes of Jasper but continue to push the artistic possibilities of the paintbrush? Now What!, a three weekend art show and workshop by artists Alan Butler and Ray Syrja.

After an attempted show last year that was held off due to family matters, Butler and Syrja are again ready to display their artwork on the walls of the Jasper Artists Guild starting with the show opening this Friday, March 5.

For Jasperites who are familiar with Butler and Syrja’s work, Now What! will show them what direction the longtime Jasper artists have taken in their artistic endeavors.

Most people who know the two men know they traditionally paint landscapes, but Butler says his style is a little more abstract. Although still recognizable, Butler uses bright colours, while Syrja is a little more photorealistic and detailed.

But the two have branched out to experiment with different techniques to create a mixed media show for JAG this weekend.

Syrja’s showing of full-sheet watercolour works, described as ‘masterworks, acrylic synapse filters, dabblings of Wiccan spells and travel sketches’ is a side of Syrja that some art lovers in town might not be familiar with.

Meanwhile, Butler’s ‘mucking about in mixed mediums and literally exploring new worlds of fantasy-adventure drawings’ is also straying from his more known style.

“I did five years of schooling of engineering and everything is very precise, right – you work in 1/10000th of an inch,” says Butler. “So I used to draw like that – you give me a photograph and I could copy it. And when I got to a stage in my artistic endeavors, I thought, ‘why the heck am I doing this!’”

After Syrja lost his mother last spring and Butler his father, in the summer, it was a tough year for the both of them, making some of the pieces in the show very meaningful to Butler.

While attending a workshop in Jasper hosted by friend and Edmonton artist Greg Johnson, Butler says his mind and heart were not into painting at all.

Talking to some of the other artists, Johnson came in with a full sheet of watercolour paper and gave it to him.

“He and all the other ones ganged up on me. The outcome of it: it was a challenge, so I ended up doing a big flower painting, which is the one I’m showing. And I did it for my mom and dad. It’s the head of a flower, and it helped me with my Mom’s passing, and my Father, who passed away, too,” he says.

As Butler and Syrja are members of JAG, they are running a workshop March 12 and 13 at JAG for any Jasper artists who may be interested. With two instructors and all the materials provided, the workshop allows for a lot of one-on-one instruction, says Butler.

“Anything along the arts, I think it’s a good thing that we need in a small town, because obviously we don’t have the facilities that the big cities have.”

Butler, who is from England, has always followed soccer, but says for the most part, he has never been very sports-oriented, and so concentrated on his art. “My view is that there is more to Jasper than skiing in the winter time. The same is in the summer time. There are a lot of beautiful spots, and people, like Raymond and myself and the artistic people in town - some of us go out all the time and find these places, and I just think it’s a pity that people don’t see them,” he says.

“So this is my way of contributing to society, to assure the beauty and the area that we live in. And I think that Raymond has somewhat the same philosophy, too.”

To see the opening of the show Now What! – A Two Grumpy Old Men Art Show, and enjoy live music, beverages and appetizers, come by the Jasper Artists Guild Friday, March 5, from 7 to 10 p.m.