JOHN DAY – Sterling Savings Bank’s current “Artist of the Month” is – and isn’t – an artist.

Jayne Primrose, curator of the Grant County Historical Museum in Canyon City, has gleaned a sampling of the museum’s artifacts for this month’s showing in the bank. Gold mining tools, school books, men’s and women’s vintage clothing, a lantern and a spoke sharpener are among the items in the spotlight.

Primrose also happens to be a watercolorist, with her own line of handmade greeting cards, and a member of the Grant County Art Association.

In the exhibit for the bank, Primrose said her aim was to represent most aspects of early-Grant County life: mining, home life, ranching, and businesses such as the brewery and banking.

To sum up our area’s rich history, she also posted these words: “They came for the gold … today you can see Grant County’s treasures at the Grant County Historical Museum.”

Comments Primrose has also pulled from the museum’s guest book include, “The ‘best’ small museum in Oregon,” “Still wonderful after 40 years,” and “So much information and time has gone into this exhibition.”

The public has until the end of September to check out not only the display at Sterling Savings Bank, but also the museum itself; the Grant County Historical Museum closes for the season on Oct. 1.

The bank is located at 150 W. Main St. in John Day; the museum is located at 101 S. Canyon City Blvd. in Canyon City and is open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Call the museum at 575-0362 for more information.