A local business owner’s dream has taken flight on a pair of monarch butterfly wings.
The wings are painted and mounted on the side of the building where Cassie Mackell’s restaurant, Low Down, is located.
Artist Shandelle McCurdie of Wasaga Beach finished painting them this week and the teal, orange, and black mural has already inspired social media posts.
Mackell started ruminating over the idea of art along the side of the building last summer. She had placed picnic tables in the area for those waiting for seats on the Low Down patio. Her idea was that art along the wide brick wall would add a lot to the space that was now getting extra use.
She ran the idea by the building owners, Rick and Anke Lex, who are already big supporters of the arts community and Simcoe Streets’ creative district. Mackell split the cost with them and now they’re working together on future plans for the wall.
“All the artists walking around the neighbourhood saw this huge white canvas going up and they wanted to participate,” said Mackell. “So now they’re painting smaller pieces to be added to the wall and we’re calling it the Collingwood Art Alley.”
Mackell has long admired public art in the towns and cities she’s visited, including a pair of wings in Nashville that often draw a queue of people waiting to take their photo with the art.
“I just think it’s really important. It brightens up the community, activates the street, and it gets people excited,” said Mackell.
She saw the elation first hand this week with the completion of not only the butterfly wings mural but the rainbow crosswalk at the Simcoe and Ste. Marie Street intersections.
“Yesterday was such an exciting day,” said Mackell. “Everyone was taking photos of the crosswalk and the butterfly. It was a constant stream of people.”
The monarch wing mural is located on the side of the Simcoe Street Theatre building. The bottom of the wings incorporate elements of Simcoe Street including food, art, drama, and music.
To see more from the artist, visit McCurdie's Instagram page @herpaintedpage.
