Mural Routes

  • Puzzle

    The concept of the ‘Puzzle Mural’ was developed by artist Elaine Teguibon as part of an independent study project for the Leadership Training in Mural Making program 2011. Elaine writes in her proposal “The Jigsaw puzzle represents the importance of creating the right links between people, communities and organizations ….A puzzle is a challenge, but there is a solution.”

  • Intersections

    This mural, entitled “Intersections,” was created by student artists as part of a youth summer training initiative run by Mural Routes. The artwork represents the intersection between fantasy and reality, depicting harmony between the faces of young people and their community at the junction of two roads.

  • Almonds and Wine

    Ceramic artist Cristina Delago worked for five months using a base of cement panels and a mix of porcelain tiles, glass and handcrafted porcelain pieces to depict frames from Arnie Lipsey’s animated film in the colourful mosaic.

  • Trace

    Before his engagement as keynote speaker at the 12th National Mural Symposium in Midland Ontario, Berlin-based artist Hand offered to leave a gift to Toronto in the form of an outdoor public art mural. Trace is one of the artist’s series of anonymous public portraits – his first in Canada.

  • Come Unity

    The mural is part of Amnesty International’s Project Urban Canvas, a mural series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This richly symbolic mural, designed by a team of youth artists, portrays the passage of a gift from left to right, on a journey that arrives ashore on a sea of waves – representing a difficult journey towards human rights that settles on the shores of our communities.

  • Entitlement

    The mural is part of Amnesty International’s Project Urban Canvas, a mural series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and focuses on article #28 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights which states: “Every individual is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this declaration can be fully realized”. Each youth artist was responsible for creating a panel sharing opinions regarding Freedom and ‘Entitlement’. Images of education, human rights leaders, and different stages of life, rights to owning property, and a unity tree are some of the dominant images present throughout the mural.

  • Reflections

    The theme of a “media art gallery” was chosen by the youth to reflect their views on how media and advertising affect youths today. Each youth artist created an individual piece within the mural to comment on issues of materialism, body image and self-reflection.

  • Diversity

    “Like the branches of a tree, mingling with the roots of a mushroom, touched by the butterfly’s antenna and caressed by nature’s wind. Different elements and organisms co-existing to ensure life’s progression – we too exist in this organic beauty.”

  • Kids Play

    This mural by Bill is painted on the two abutment walls and four centre columns of the bridge crossing Sheppard Ave. just west of Leslie Street. It was completed in October 2006.

    It is a collaboration between Mural Routes, the City of Toronto Culture and Urban Planning Section.

  • Natural Mystic

    The theme of this mural – Natural Mystic – is “New Beginnings”. It portrays a family’s journey and their will to reach a safe and peaceful destination in which to live, a need that we feel is shared by all humans.

  • Chrysalis

    Working with themes of metamorphosis, transition and migration, members of Bluffers Tales told a series of stories to the mural artists, which were then translated into a design that celebrates the experiences of community members who left their homes to come to Canada.

  • Community Spirit

    This mural recreates a scene showing members of the Highland Creek community working together to build an addition to the Wesley Methodist Chapel in the early winter of 1867. Present day residents, businesses and community groups of Highland Creek have joined together with the same spirit of cooperation and vision of their forebears to make this project a reality.

  • Spooner’s Garage

    The unique “double” mural, painted on facing walls by Phillip Woolf, depicts two eras in the life of Spooner’s Garage. Built in 1926 and rebuilt in 1947, the garage was located on the south side of Kingston Road in Cliffside Village.