The City of Prince George has unveiled two murals that were created to mark Canada’s 150th birthday and involved about 2,000 local residents.
Canada 150 Patchwork is comprised of 1,375 clay tiles that were created by the PG Potters Guild and painted by people of all ages and walks of life. In fact, the Potters Guild provided 76 workshops through the spring and summer that provided opportunities for residents to paint tiles.
“Residents were asked to paint a tile that expressed their connection to Prince George: an activity, interest, or feature of our city that was important to their quality of life. As you can imagine there is an incredible diversity of images, with wildlife, nature, and sports/leisure activities as prominent themes,” says Joanne Mikkelsen, Studio Director for the PG Potters Guild.
The Canada 150 Patchwork is installed on the concourse of CN Centre near section G.
The Canada 150 Mosaic is a national art installation mural project involving 150 communities across Canada and was assisted locally by the Two Rivers Gallery. Each of these communities, including Prince George, now has a mosaic that depicts a train car along with icons and unique features of that community. The Prince George mosaic is made up of 800 tiles that are arranged in such a way as to reveal Mr. PG and a moose. Many of the tiles were painted by local school children during workshops and BMO KidzArt Dayz at the Gallery. The murals from coast to coast are depicted online at canada150mosaic.com.
“Two Rivers Gallery is pleased to contribute to a project like the Canada 150 Mosaic mural, one that involves artists, engages the community in creative activity, and results in public art that we will enjoy for years to come,” says Carolyn Holmes, Managing Director of the Two Rivers Gallery.
The Canada 150 Mosaic is located in the Kin Atrium.
The Canada 150 Patchwork and the Canada 150 Mosaic were both part of the City’s Canada 150 celebrations that were funded by the Government of Canada.
“On behalf of Council and the citizens of Prince George, thank you to the Government of Canada for presenting so many great local activities and events that marked Canada’s 150th birthday this year,” says Lyn Hall, Mayor of Prince George. “It is especially gratifying that these murals are on display in popular local venues, continuing the spirit of Canada 150.”
