Located at the Ignite Youth Centre, this mural is meant to inspire students of Elgin County and St Thomas. A little bit of nature and magic for the youth centre tying into the neighbouring Horton Farmers Market.
The piece brings a beautiful burst of light to the alleyway, conjuring up themes of movement, freedom & the pursuit of knowledge … what is the woman in the mural reading? where is she going? how did she arrive in this place?
This mural was created to inspire. Each flower represents something different and were chosen by guests to the Inn.
Iris (Trust, Hope), Forget Me Nots (Hope), Tulip (Caring, Respect), Malva (Health, Love, Protection), Daffodil (New Beginnings), Monarda (Health, Prosperity), Geranium (Determination).
Painted on a former rail underpass, this mural beautifully combines colour and the symbolism of good luck and positive energy.
Created to celebrate the life of Jumbo who became an icon in our city. Sbu one approached this mural as if it was a mausoleum for Jumbo to rest. The bell around Jumbo’s neck is a symbol of honour as it is like the one that sacred elephants wear.
Located at the home of the Ignite Teen Centre and Steam Education Centre, Protocol IK is meant to excite the youth that visit the centre.
Protocol IK speaks to our digital future, and how youth are working to navigate that frenetic landscape.
“Playfully Jumbo” Is set in at Waterworks Park were Jumbo can be seen and enjoyed by adults and kids alike. The warm colours are a view of love and connection against a grey wall that reads as inviting and playful. With a couple simple elements like a hidden mouse and the bubbles coming from his trunk Chris wants people to not only see it as a piece about Jumbo but little hints of what we know about all elephants.
A fun and playful take celebrating Jumbo at Rosethorn Park painted by Emily Jacques-Hawco.
The mural is epic, 85 feet high, adding depth & beauty to one of the concrete piers of the St. Thomas Elevated Park in the Kettle Creek valley.
The design is a reimagining of the dynamics between Audrey Hepburn & Gary Cooper in the classic film, ‘Love in the Afternoon’, and ultimately is a meditation on the need to transcend nostalgia & move forward … nostalgia is composed of two Greek words — ‘nostos’, which translates as ‘to return home’, and ‘algos’, which means ‘pain’.
Found on the rear of the Curling Club, this mural connects to the Whistlestop Trail that runs alongside it. Find examples of the vibrancy of nature we find in Ontario SW, from the native Bloodroot flower to the powerful force of summer storms.
Found behind the old storefronts of Talbot Street find this vibrant and lively mural connecting to the market space of the Horton Farmers’ Market. Food is something that binds us together and is celebrated the world around, find that connection and vibrancy when visiting this mural!
From the artist: It is a really devastating story. I think from beginning to end the story of his life is completely tragic. That is the reason I decided to make this mural of what would have been the best moments of his life. This mural is a celebration of his time in Sudan with his mother, before she was murdered for her tusks and he was taken from his home. I think if any parts of his life should be commemorated it should be these glorious moments of peace with his mother and family before human beings intervened and caused so much suffering.
Painted by artists Chris Golding and Ben Vandevooren for the 2017 Iron Horse Festival.
A Jumbo inspired mural completed by the talented Laura Woermke, a local artist and Executive Director of the St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre. Find Laura’s masterpiece at the Joe Thornton Community Centre, looking sharp on a red brick backdrop and reminiscent of her popular style of landscape painting!
The mural is inspired by vintage postcards. These “Greetings From” postcards usually consist of text in a bold font, with imagery of that location within the text. I pulled various landmarks and imagery that relates to St. Thomas to populate the text within this mural, while approaching the design in a more modern and exciting way.
The Canada Southern Railway was a big part of St. Thomas’ rail history from 1872 to 1881. The C.S.R.’s legacy to the community is its historic Talbot Street station, which was created in 1872 as a shortcut through Canada from Chicago to New York.
A fun tribute to some famous St. Thomas landmarks. Created by the prolific muralist Denial, this mural represents five separate vintage style travel posters, found alongside the current St. Thomas Transit building.
Conveying the idea of a beautiful night out in the city, and the energy of meeting someone new & imagining all the possibilities that come from that kind of illuminated moment in life.
“According to Inuit oral tradition, kayaking was a way of life as well as a practical tool…for over 2,000 years. An individual’s mastery of the kayak measured personal growth and connection to the community. The kayak also provided the Inuit with a means of interacting with Arctic geography and ecology; kayaking was a way to explore landscapes, access natural resources, encounter animals and socialize with the Inuit of other communities.” (The Canadian Encyclopedia)
“Bright Lights” was inspired while the artist was camping in one of Ontario’s Provincial Parks. Sarah was walking back to her campsite in the dark when she saw a stranger carrying a lantern in the distance. Enchanted by flickering fireflies and the warmth of the lantern light through the trees, she stored the image in her memory for a dreary day when she would live the moment again through her art.
Using very a intricate technique to create the details of this mural, the elements represent the beauty of community connection and diversity. The mural is considered a contemporary piece that uses innovative transitions to the different elements.
“Amusements” is an art installation celebrating the fairs and festivals throughout the history of St. Thomas. Tattooed in a bingo card, this elephant depicts the Lockes Fair, the Iron Horse Festival and the St. Anne’s Fair.
This mural connects with the specific setting at the Library, as well as the surrounding neighbourhood. The upper portion of the artwork, visible from the street, features a fire, row of corn, and an extraordinary night sky, a spectacular setting for the central characters including a storyteller and those gathered to listen by the fire. In the lower corners of the piece, there are animals that will draw visitors into the setting. The muskrat is key to the Indigenous Recreation story, as following the great flood, the semiaquatic rodent brought life back to earth from the depths through a morsel of sand. Viewers will note that the muskrat has a bandolier bag, which has always been a part of First Nations and Native American attire. There is also a mother bear and cub in the design. Similar to the muskrat, the mother bear is wearing a bandolier bag, symbolizing that all of creation has been given a set of original instructions and responsibilities that they have always maintained. The animals are situated in the space to remind human beings that we share the natural environment. This is emphasized by how the bear and cub are positioned on rock formations that visually extend the reading garden amphitheatre. All living things are in the same spot. The bear is traditionally considered a protector and maintains a very close relationship to the earth.
A reproduction of the St. Thomas Artist Clark MacDougall’s painting, the bright contrasting colours against the dark shadows and outlines perfectly depicts a talbot street of the past.
An ode to St. Thomas! This interactive mural is perfect for taking selfies and sharing them with your friends. Be sure to have a close look at the mural to find all the St. Thomas icons!
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