With summer winding down and a dark, dreary winter not far away, there is an effort to brighten and enliven Dartmouth, N.S., with massive outdoor paintings.
Mural Jam is a weeklong festival, showcasing paint and vibrant colours, with murals popping up on most street corners in downtown Dartmouth.
This is the first year for Mural Jam, with eight artists contributing to the event. Other murals, some covering entire buildings, are already visible in the area and were produced by artists who independently lent their talents to help beautify the urban landscape.
“I am working on a 120-foot mural,” said artist Anisa Francoeur. “I want to make the small city that we have, come alive.”
“A bunch of artists have come into town, to spruce up some walls and make the town look a little bit more beautiful,” added Francoeur. “My career is a fulltime freelance designer, but I love painting when I can. It means everything to me.”
Some murals are massive, stunning works of art that loom large on high buildings. Others are smaller and designed to brighten up driveways and alleys. They will take days to paint with brushes, rollers and spray paint and will require painstaking, precise efforts by the artists.
“I think it’s uplifting, and people seem to like it because you could take desolate and forgotten about areas, and brighten them up,” said Mural Jam artist and organizer Michael Burt. “These artists are extremely talented, and they are beautifying the city. It’s one thing to have art in your house, but this is something everyone can enjoy.”
The paint being used is also heavy duty and made to last in outdoor environments, with the hopes that these murals should survive the rough weather and be around for years to come. That is welcome news for people who live in this historic downtown Dartmouth community, known for it’s narrow streets and older buildings.
“I love it, we need more of it,” said Dartmouth resident Wilfred Misener. “We need revitalization of the downtown and it’s happening.”
Mural Jam is not a not contest and the murals will not be evaluated. When the artistic work is completed, the finished products of Mural Jam will be on display this weekend, for community members to view.
