In 2006 and 2007 I was commissioned by the City of Victoria and the Oaklands and Fairfield communities to paint murals on their emergency services storage boxes. These important storage boxes are often the target of vandalism so a mural on the surface is a way to discourage vandalism while beautifying the community at the same time.
These projects were a huge amount of work. I couldn’t have done them without dedicated teams of volunteers who put in numerous hours painting in the sun. Since the original projects were completed vandalism has gradually damaged the murals to the point where they either needed to be replaced or restored. I am really touched that both communities liked my original designs enough to restore them rather than painting another design over them. They hired another artist, Leigh Hoban to do the job since I was unable to myself. She and her team of volunteers did a marvelous job on both murals. The colours are slightly different but the design is the same and looks wonderful with a fresh coat of paint!
I was invited to sign the Fairfield mural last week, even though Leigh did all the work. It was really nice to be able to put my name on my design again. I will be signing the Oaklands mural soon too. They are working on cleaning up a bit of graffiti first before they varnish the whole thing for protection.
You can visit these murals anytime. They are out in the open here in Victoria. Just contact the Oaklands Community Centre or Fairfield Community Place if you need directions.
Here are some photos of the restored Fairfield Mural:
Here are some photos of the original Fairfield Mural:
Here are some photos of the Oaklands Mural, beginning with the restored version, then some photos of the original mural.
I hope these murals will continue to be enjoyed by the community for years to come!