There are two monumental anniversaries coming up for both the Victoria Foundation and Canada, and Victorians are invited to take part in the celebration.
To mark Canada’s 150th birthday and its own 80th anniversary, the Victoria Foundation has teamed up with Canada 150 Mosaic to create a large mural mosaic representing the spirit of Victoria and the people who live here.
Over the course of two days (August 12-13, 2016), Victorians are invited to converge under a marquee tent in the Greater Victoria Public Library Central Branch courtyard to clutch paintbrushes and capture what they feel represents the best of the Capital Region. When the final paint has dried, there will be over 600 finished tiles, which will then be assembled together to form the final mosaic mural.
“The Victoria Foundation is committed to community, so we’re inviting everyone to join this celebration,” said Board Chair Patrick Kelly. “And with a Coast Salish design by local Kwagiulth artist Carey Newman, the mosaic symbolizes the spirit of inclusion this event is all about.”
The finished mural will feature Newman’s design of three Coast Salish-stylized orcas and will be displayed in a public space for all to see in the years to come, a great symbol of our community spirit and creativity. The location will be revealed at a future date.
A launch for the event on Friday morning saw such notables as Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Judith Guichon, City of Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Esquimalt Nation Chief Andy Thomas stop by to paint tiles and lend their support. Prior to the event, Victoria-raised Atom Egoyan also lent his artistic talents to the project and will have a tile featured in the mural.
Canada 150 Mosaic is a bold undertaking of internationally recognized artist Lewis Lavoie and his Mural Mosaic team. Over a two-year span, they’re setting out to create murals involving all provinces and territories, incorporating over 80,000 individually painted tiles.
“We are extremely excited to complete our first leg of the Canada 150 Mosaic British Columbia tour in the province’s capital,” said Lavoie. “The Victoria mural will be the largest on the Island. We’re looking forward to celebrating with the community.”
Since May 2015, towns, cities and villages across Canada have been creating individual murals depicting their community through the eyes and creative spirit of the individuals that live there. Each mural incorporates a train car, which in spirit, will join the other murals to form a gigantic trans-continental train. If connected, the mural would be over 365 meters long (4 football fields).
Public painting workshops are being held Friday, August 12 from 11 am – 4 pm and Saturday, August 13 from 9 am – 4 pm.
Established in 1936, the Victoria Foundation is Canada’s second oldest community foundation and the sixth largest of nearly 200 nation-wide. The Victoria Foundation manages charitable gifts from donors whose generosity allows them to create permanent, income-earning funds. The proceeds from these funds are then distributed as grants for charitable or educational purposes. To date the Victoria Foundation has invested more than $158 million in people, projects and non-profit organizations that strengthen communities in B.C. and throughout Canada.
