The mural dedicated to reconciliation along the Seaton tunnel is now complete, but for a few touch ups by individual artists.
The Seaton Mural Splash is a unique project done in joint between the Victoria Native Friendship Centre and the Saanich Police, with a group of local artists in creative control over the direction of the 50-foot-long mural. They started in early June and completed the bulk of the work, as a group, by July 28, though some were free to return to tidy up their art over the last week.
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Project lead Jesse Campbell, whoB次元官网网址檚 been part of many murals around Greater Victoria, said this one presented logistical challenges. Among them, a gentle slope, as well as the corrugated edges of the concrete wall.
B次元官网网址淎t one point, early, we did consider applying wood [to create a smooth surface] but that was going to be costly,B次元官网网址� Campbell said.
The mural was broken in to individual pieces that melded together. It was a first for each artist, including Campbell, as they learned to deal with the angles of the protruding concrete edges as they applied their designs.
B次元官网网址淵ou can paint a piece and stare straight at it, but then you take a few steps to the right, and you have to re-think the angles, so you make adjustments,B次元官网网址� Campbell said.
One of the youth artists was Tyrone Charlie, who sought inspiration from his Ahousaht First Nation background, bringing out the Thunderbird with a wolf painted on the belly.
B次元官网网址淭his came from my heart, if felt right, itB次元官网网址檚 a mix [of different Thunderbirds from the West Coast],B次元官网网址� Charlie said.
Also working on the project are Wilson Tutube (Uclulet First Nation), Mekayla Whitney (Duck Lake Cree) and Sionainn Phillips, a MiB次元官网网址檏maw artist who grew up in Victoria.
One of PhillipsB次元官网网址� pieces on the mural is of an eagle coddling a woman, herself, done in the style of MiB次元官网网址檏maw art.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a self portrait of me growing up on this island and being embraced by the community,B次元官网网址� Phillips said.
The goal of the Seaton Mural Splash was to inspire the community in a place that was overrun with graffiti, and overlooked as a valuable conduit despite how many pedestrians and cyclists travel through it each day.
