According to A Place For the Arts (APFTA), the arts collective has been asked by Burke Chamberlin to restore the mural located on the west end of the building on Bridge Street.
Chamberlin is owner of the downtown building housing APFTA.
Local artist Arne Roosman, who painted the mural, has ‘given his blessing’ to the project.
The gallery said that they are initiating the restoration of the mural as a 2-month (July and August) summer event in their Annex Gallery.
Artists in the community are being called to help repaint parts of the mural.
According to mural re-design facilitator, APFTA’s Gayle Crosmaz, the theme of the original mural is the history of Bancroft and area.
“Since the arrival of the settlers. We invite artists in our surrounding area to submit what they love about the natural history of our area, including precolonial history.”
The proposed mural redesign would overlay two giant dragon flies and a firefly as a basis for the collage design, while keeping the more intact sections of the mural as a background.
Crosmaz explained that Algonquin First Nations artists will create representations of Algonquin teachings in artform, from their Wawatesi (firefly) Cultural Discovery Project along the river’s edge in Bancroft.
“So let’s bring back the nature and do a blending together. And we invited the high school students to come in. We’ve invited all artists, professional and non-professional to come in and put their mark on the wall.”
The mural measures 8 ft by 44 ft and is sectioned into 11 panels.
Starting this month, there is now a numbered map showing the collage segments.
You can work on the mural at A Place For The Arts and reserve a spot by choosing a location on the mural.
Crosmaz adds that this summer they plan to open the artistic process to the community while the artist’s work
“So we would open the big double doors (of the gallery) so that people can watch from the street if you want to..we will set up giant easels…then we’ll coordinate with artists when they can come, the days and time so they’re not crowding each other.”
Crosmaz adds that a cinematographer will document the entire process from the panels coming down to the artists working.
For more information stop by the gallery or contact A Place For The Arts.
