Chances are if you have stopped by Olive ‘R Twist Bistro and Bar in Cochrane, there are some pieces of art on the wall that have caught your eye.
The art, with vivid colours and unique character, is the work of the late Cochrane artist Kerry Hunt, someone who is remembered by family and friends for his creativity and friendship.
Hunt struggled with Type 1 diabetes, and Nov. 28 he passed away with a celebration of his life held Dec. 7 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Cochrane.
“Kerry knew so much about movies, music, art – he was a really interesting guy to talk to,” said long-time friend Leslie Deans, who said her and husband Rick thought of him more as family than just a friend.
“We called him our ‘brother from another mother’,” said Deans.
Hunt was born in Summerside, P.E.I. and spent his younger years in Moose Jaw, Sask., but eventually settled in Cochrane.
He worked at the Cochrane Home Hardware for many years and Deans said that he was known to many people as their ‘go-to guy’ at the store.
“At his celebration of life, that’s what people were coming up to me and saying – ‘I was just a customer there, I didn’t know him on a personal level, but he was my guy.’ I think that was a big thing for Kerry – he was happy to go and help people,” she said.
Hunt was also passionate about sports, with the Chicago Bears being his favourite NFL football team.
Deans said he spent every Monday night watching football with a group of close friends, a tradition that has been going on for 15 years.
But Hunt’s passion was his art, which consisted mostly of oil painting, pencil drawings and some sculpture.
Deans described the artist as having two clearly different styles – one influenced by Michelangelo, evident in the details found in his work, and the other by Picasso, seen in the cubism style.
“He has beautiful stuff and you will see it in many homes in Cochrane and other places. My house is full of his art and I have both styles,” Deans said, adding that Hunt was quite well known for his oil paintings of Bob Marley.
Hunt was also passionate about music, having played the guitar. Deans said one of her favourite memories of Hunt was when he would play guitar around the campfire.
“Those were probably some of my favourite memories, when we would all sit around at somebody’s house and Kerry would bring out his guitar,” said Deans. “When he was tired of playing, he never quit, he just played a really slow quiet song.”
Anyone who is interested in finding out more about Hunt’s artwork can email [email protected].
