Creative Realism

A creative take on realism, which is generally the attempt to represent subject matter truthfully, without artificiality and avoiding speculative fiction and supernatural elements.

  • Migrant

    This piece tells the ever-more-prevailing story of habitat destruction and the ensuing migrations of native species, particularly the migration of megafauna in the Canadian north caused by anthropogenic climate warming. As their habitat warms and the ice becomes less reliable making hunting difficult, polar bears move more regularly south and into communities seeking food.

    This whimsical and exaggerated image of a polar bear in a pastoral country scene intends to foster dialogue about habitat displacement and climate derangement out of the absurd juxtaposition of that bear in a place that he most definitely does not belong.

    Text taken from yycbump.ca

  • deer+almond collaborative mural

    Located on the south wall of the Hemisphere Building in the deer+almond parking lot, this mural was a continuation of a project done by Kenneth Lavallee. In 2013 he painted a mural during Nuit Blanche Winnipeg in 2013, and the following year he found himself collaborating with 3 other artists on a mural on the neighbouring wall. A year later in 2014, Lavallee added the waving lines to the second story of the mural.

  • In a While, Crocodile

    Walking down Wellington Street rests a very chill crocodile, sitting on an inner tube in a blue pool, wearing sunglasses and holding a blue bottle. With clouds in the sky, Steven Twigg’s traditional style of background consists of vibrant blues, yellows, reds, and greens that begin behind the crocodile and can be seen to wrap around the Bell Box. 

  • :P

    Part of a StART initiative, this mural is one of many in the laneway that brighten up garage doors. Given that garages are a place to park, I gave it a fun reference to our city’s Green P.

  • Lively City Part 2

    Toronto is a busy city. Most of us are buzzing from place to place with a purpose. I get inspiration from long wanders along our streets, appreciating the little things and imagining the lives quintessential parts our city could be living; like pigeons, what do they do when we’re not looking? Could be anything, even riding a unicycle for all we know. This artwork encourages us to stop a moment and let our imaginations run wild, rather than running wildly ourselves from A to B. This is part of a series.

  • Lively City Part 1

    At the corner of Huron and Harbord street, sits a cheerful signal box. The front of the signal box displays a hot dog vendor selling hot dogs for two dollars, while the rear face of the signal box hosts a raccoon, swinging from a tree, holding a hot dog.

  • Wonder and Wander

    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?

  • Garden of Hope

    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).

  • Time to Rest

    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.

  • Newstalgia

    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’.

  • Giant Squid

    Alyssa Longchamps, 26, is usually tattooing humans with her unique style of black and white art but for the last couple of weeks she has been spray painting a giant 14′ x 38′ squid on the outside wall of the Merivale Fish and Seafood Grill on Merivale Road. A friend of the owners, she was asked if she could come up with a design that would celebrate the seafood nature of the business and after some thought, she sketched up the squid. She took a week off from tattooing at her private studio, “The Static Lab”, and battled the brutal heat and thunderstorms and recently finished the project. “It was a lot of fun, I’m pretty excited about it. I don’t know if I’ll do more (because) it’s been pretty time consuming, but I definitely enjoyed it,” she said.

  • Nature’s House

    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.

  • Jumbo Beginning

    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.

  • Journey

    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!

  • Greetings from St. Thomas

    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.

  • Drift

    “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

    “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.

  • Beginning of Hope

    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

    “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.​