Painting the Pembina

Artist(s): Brie Adkins

Category: Aerosol, Contemporary, Landscape

Completed: August 2019

The “Painting the Pembina” Project was directed, crowd-funded and painted by visual artist Brie Adkins in 2019-2020 on the historic J.D. Read building. Painting the Pembina called on the community to support the project through ‘purchasing’ bricks, and those funds went towards the mural expenses, the plaque and the three Pembina Schools for their art programs. Businesses, families and individuals came together to raise $8080 for this community project. The schools in turn each received 1500 in funds for their arts programs.
The mural concept is of the Pembina Valley from a path that travels through Entwistle. This view captures the sunset on the river bend and includes elements from the historic Foley Trail books. Elements from the book include a lobstick, the rabbit phenomenon, the Pembina berry bush and the old blue bridge. Other elements are specific to the Pembina area and include the Alberta wild rose, wild flowers and tall grass. The eagle represents Entwistle’s current school team, the Entwistle Eagles. Monarch butterflies have been added as at least one endangered species in Brie Adkins’s work is usually present. The final and most eye catching element is the sunlight that travels across the wall. This has been done to remind us that this river has been a source of incredible energy for all that it has served. While reading the Foley Trails books Brie had realized that the history of Entwistle and Evansburg began from this river, the best stories and most monumental structures built because of the river and the people of the town then and now have a deep connection to the river.
The river holds so much of our history then, now and in the future.

For More Information: https://www.badkinsart.com/murals