NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD
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The mural known as Our Community, which adorns the south side of the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena, was refurbished recently by Allan Bender and John Nobrega of BlincStudios.
The mural weathered 21 years of rain, snow, and blistering sun, a testament to the expertise of the five artists whose work is featured in the 70-foot-long mural.
Our Community was the final mural in a series of five outdoor murals commissioned by the Millennium Mural Committee. The idea was conceived by the Visual Arts Committee of the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts and was chaired by the late Myrna Westcott with members from the downtown BIA, chamber of commerce and town council.
Shirley Farmer (DECD), Gordon Kemp, Wilhelmina (Willi) Wildman (DECD), Janie Cooper-Wilson and Bill Hartman (DECD), all local residents at the time, were commissioned by the Millennium Mural committee in 2001 to create works portraying scenes and people from the region. Each artist submitted a sketch to the committee and, once selected, were provided with the eight-by-six-foot panel for their mural. Over 100 small tiles painted by members of the community were originally added around the murals, but unfortunately, these did not weather well, and most were removed in 2012.
Town staff were able to speak to three of the original artists ahead of the restoration work, to learn about their inspiration.
Cooper-Wilson painted in her father’s garage each day for a month to create the mural depicting her ancestor, John Morgan Sr., logging on the Nottawasaga. Morgan was born in Madagascar and survived the Middle Passage. He was the first Black resident of New Lowell and lived to be 110. The Belgian stallions in her painting were inspired by the ones on her childhood farm and the small building in the background represents the Oro African church, now a National Historical Site in Oro-Medonte, one of the oldest African log structures still standing in North America today.
Recreation on Georgian Bay served as the inspiration for Farmer’s mural of wind surfers dotting the waters and the escarpment in the background. Farmer’s paintings and sculpture are in collections locally and across North America and Europe. She was a member of the Humber Valley Art Club for 30 years as well as a member of the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts. Unfortunately, she recently passed away and was not able to see the results of the restoration to her mural.
The mural created by Kemp represents the once vital link between the Collingwood Grain Terminals, farmers, and communities across the region. He incorporated his home and farm in the mural and used his own horses as models. Kemp worked and travelled as a professional artist for many years and currently makes the land his canvas at his “Art Farm.”
It is hoped that the community and visitors will continue to look upon Our Community mural and consider the stories they evoke of the past, present and future of Collingwood.
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