mural

Work will start this week on a new mural at the Fort Frances Library and Technology Centre.

The 27 ft. by 13 ft. mural will be located in the children’s section.

Local artist Lindsay Hamilton is receiving a grant from the Ontario Arts Council for the project.

She says it will focus on the history of libraries.

“The composition is going to be exploring different eras of the history of libraries, dating back to ancient times,” says Hamilton.

“And then throughout time, pivotal moments along the way that have contributed to the institution of the library that we have today.”

Hamilton says it was her own love for libraries that interested her in doing the mural and has been speaking with local library officials about it for some time.

“It’s not just my voice or my image on that wall. It’s with the help of library staff, too,” says Hamilton.

“They’ve contributed some prompts and some things that they want to see in the mural, so trying to make this as collective as it can be because that’s how the idea of the library came about was a lot of things lining up in history, along with technology and the right people in the right time that built this institute.”

An application for the grant was filed last November, with approval received in April.

Hamilton intends to devote the entire month of May to the mural, with plans to have a public unveiling of the finished product in June.

“I’ll be offering an artist talk to explore various symbols and the process of making the mural,’ says Hamilton.

“Following that, we’re hoping to offer arts-based workshops. We’re going to pull some of the symbolism or history from the mural that then can be offered to the public to come and make art in response to the mural.”

Hamilton is appreciative of the library and its staff for offering the space and the Ontario Arts Council for making the project a reality.

The public will get an opportunity to watch as the mural progresses each day.

“I just hope that people will enjoy it. It’s very meaningful for me, someone who grew up in Fort Frances and loves going to the library and appreciates the resource that it is, being able to give back a little bit to that and share that is meaningful.”