Heritage

Heritage (or historic) painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than artistic style. Heritage paintings usually depict a moment in a narrative story, rather than a specific and static subject, as in a portrait.

  • Esteemed Colleagues

    A collaboration with Acityinbulgaria, Zach Lebel as assistant, aerosol, 70’ x 42’, Howick, 2025. Mural created thanks to the support from the HSL MRC as well as Ohisse. This mural celebrates the community and creative culture of Howick. Like us, the owners Bill and Diane have respective textile and large-scale painting practices with Diane creating…

  • Nokomis

    I created this mural for my Grammie. I wanted to give thanks to her and honour her life and her journey. She was a genocidal camp survivor, (formerly known as residential “school” survivor) and I am here today and have my culture, because she survived.

  • Wabos Sipi

    Mural commissioned by the committee “Habiter mon quartier du vieux-Masson”, painted on the St-Jean de Brébeuf primary school, acrylic on bricks, 45′ by 36′, 2019

  • Water Warriors

    This piece of public art celebrates the strength of women as water warriors. The process in creating this piece started with a stroll through the Riverside community photographing local female pedestrians. Then I took those photos and digitally manipulated them, overlaying vintage Toronto maps of the region. These images were then printed on paper 12…

  • M’wikwedong Manitous

    As a child growing up in Toronto and swimming in the waters of Georgian Bay, I was told there were water creatures within the Great Lakes. I was always warned to be careful when swimming because I had to respect the water world and those beings that lived within it. The image I have chosen…

  • River Moon

    As water is the only common substance that is naturally found as a solid, liquid or gas, our mural personifies water as three women-identifying figures. The first figure is ice who has snowflakes on her robe and a more angular figure. The second figure is steam who is floating, has clouds as hair, and a…

  • Ohútsya Kékha

    We are the earth, the earth is us. Our ancestors are here – The mud Those rocks Standing stones The upright trees The stillness of the sky And the smokey sun Thunderers revive and bring healing So flowing rivers splash across our bodies and rush through us. We are the water, the water is us….

  • Where We Find Our Roots

    Our design celebrates the incredible beauty of the Don River and its surrounding waterways. It pays tribute to the traditional keepers of the land, its current residents, and its potential futures. “Tkaronto” is a Mohawk word that translates to “where trees stand in water”. The focal point of our piece is a tree emerging from…

  • Dancheong Dragon

    Social and environmental struggles have been top of mind these recent years. Since 2019, Toronto has seen a 700% rise in anti-Asian violence (based on reported incidents alone), while the Don River is plagued with flooding, erosion risk, pollution and ecological decline. Awareness, and naturalization and protection projects will address some of these issues, but…

  • Riverside Sports Heritage & Legacy

    The Riverside Sports Heritage & Legacy Mural was created by artist Monica Wickeler. The lower portion of the mural illustrates Riverside’s rich history in bicycling and curling associated with the Royal Canadian Bicycle and Curling Club, and also baseball, as Riverside was home to Toronto’s first baseball stadium, the Toronto Baseball Grounds (aka Sunlight Park)….

  • KUSIKUS

    The wavy pattern in my mural is based on a textile pattern that dates back to pre-colonial Philippines around the 1400s. It is referred to as ‘kusikus’ (pronounced koo-SEE-koos), which means ‘whirlpool’, ‘whirlwind’ or ‘going in circles’ in Ilocano (an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines and by my family). The pattern was used for…

  • Tkaranto Past, Tkaranto Future

    This mural by Indigenous artists Odinamaad, Chief Lady Bird, Dave Monday Oguorie, and Philip Cote, tells the story about Tkaranto being a meeting place for all people: first, for Indigenous nations for travel, trade, hunting and fishing, and in present day, for people who come here from around the globe to gather on the traditional…

  • Welcome to Riverside

    This mural art was originally installed on the wall of 742 Queen E in 2013, and moved to 651 Queen E in 2017. It was the Riverside BIA’s first mural as part of its efforts to re-introduce its modern identity and brand; after many years of branding as ‘Queen-Broadview Village’, the BIA re-branded to come…

  • Along the Riverbanks

    As our urban environment grows and becomes more and more dense, we are surrounded by fewer wild spaces and it is important to protect and appreciate the ones that remain, as well as the flora and fauna that inhabit them. Continuous tracts of urban woodland such as the Don River valley allow a diverse ecosystem…

  • First Peoples Mural

    In artist Lorne Julien’s own words, the mural’s imagery includes “the eagle (kitpu) [which] is an important animal to the Mi’kmaw people (L’nu’k). It symbolizes respect, love and protection. When an eagle shows up in your path, it is seen as a good and hopeful sign, a good moment to show gratitude and send prayers….

  • Graffiti Be Gone

    My vision was that the floral theme would bring light and colour to the area, especially during cold and long Calgary winters. In addition to beautifying the city, the painting project encourages Calgarians to embrace fine art into their busy, everyday lives.

  • Legacy

    This historical mural is one of the largest paintings in Canada and figures prominently in downtown Calgary. The desire was to beautify the side of the building as well as foster pride in the legacy and activities of Calgary Petroleum, telling the story of oil and gas from its beginnings to the present day.