Edith Jerome is being remembered for her skill in turning the tools of the prospector into beautiful works of art showcasing the territory she loved.

The prominent Yukon artist died Monday at the age of 93.

In separate interviews, long-time Yukoners Pat Ellis and Jim Robb noted Jerome’s contributions over the years to the art scene in both Dawson City and Whitehorse, the two communities where she lived during her many years in the territory.

Jerome carved out an active life in the Yukon’s artistic community, first owning and operating the Old Shanty Gallery on Dawson’s Front Street while her work recorded the region’s beauty.

Robb noted the building Jerome operated the gallery out of was believed to have once been owned by the famous Margaret Vera Dorval, or Bombay Peggy, as she was better known as.

“She did great work,” fellow artist Robb said as he recalled the Yukon scenes she painted onto gold pans, Swede saws and the like, in addition to work on canvass and other more traditional art materials.

Using the tools of prospectors in creating scenery was a great expression of the Yukon, said Robb. He’s well-known for his own iconic style in profiling the Colourful Five Per Cent of characters from the territory and the landmarks of the Yukon.

“She did some interesting work,” he said of the friend he knew for many years.

Ellis and Robb also pointed out it was Jerome who created the mural of the Whitehorse Rapids so familiar to many locals, with the rapids appearing as white horses.

The mural is featured in the Gold to Government building at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History.

Ellis remembers Jerome as being instrumental in starting the local mural program that saw a number of artworks created on buildings for all passersby to take in.

Ellis worked with Jerome on a number of those projects. Those included one of the first ones done as part of the 1992 50th anniversary celebrations for the building of the Alaska Highway.

As Ellis said, it was Jerome who pursued the creation of the murals, confident it could be done locally.

“Edith thought we could do it,” Ellis said. “And it turned out pretty well.”

Today, numerous buildings around Whitehorse feature the mural work of many artists who have benefited from Jerome’s first efforts in creating murals around the city.

And Jerome was someone Ellis knew she could depend on whenever there was a project to do.

“She was a very sturdy lady,” Ellis said.

Her 1999 painting Night Light – featuring the northern lights dancing over a mountain scene – is part of the territory’s Permanent Art Collection and is currently on display at Binet House in Mayo.

In a short information piece Jerome provided to the territory to accompany the painting for the permanent collection, she said she had been interested in the Yukon “first for its colourful history and, since the first glimpse in 1965, the magnificent scenery and wildlife.”

That’s what continued to inspire her work over the years.

Jerome’s work ethic is evident in her pieces, but the artist was always clear there was one stipulation around working, Ellis recalled.

“She would not work on Sundays,” her friend said, noting Jerome’s strong faith and commitment to her church.

“She was well-versed in scripture,” Ellis said.

Originally from Wetaskiwin, Alta., Jerome grew up in the community of Water Valley.

There, she “learned a deep appreciation for the out-of-doors and all its creatures,” she stated in the piece provided to the Yukon government.

She took numerous art courses and workshops through the University of Alberta, and was also involved with an arts group in the community of Cochrane, Alta.

Her works appeared in shows at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the state fair in Haines, Alaska; and a one-person show at the Red Deer library, along with many showings in the Yukon.

Before she opened the Old Shanty Gallery in Dawson in 1976, Jerome had held a variety of jobs.

Those ventures included skidding logs, working with horses, cooking in bush camps, working as a telephone operator and as a certified nursing aide.

It was a position cooking for her brother Stan’s outfitting business that originally brought her north, where she decided to stay.

After operating the gallery in Dawson, she moved to Whitehorse in the 1980s, where she remained.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Chuck and Norma Burrell, who live in Whitehorse, and sister Doris Allen from Alberta, as well as a number of nieces and nephews.