Public Art Mural
As part of the Downtown Milton Business Improvement Area’s mandate to help beautify the downtown and improve the ambiance and appearance of our community, we are undertaking a public art mural project in 2022.
The current mural located on the privately-owned wall at Main & Charles St. has been an important part of the downtown Milton community for over two decades. Since the artwork was commissioned in the late 1990s, long-time residents of Milton and new residents alike have spent time enjoying this mural and it has become an important landmark in our area.
Unfortunately, time, weather and UV light are causing the image and the wall to deteriorate. The current artwork has sustained damaged from this over time and the paint has faded and continues to peel. This month, the property owner will be undertaking much-needed repairs to the wall and this will further impact the state of artwork, and the original artist could not be located.
The wall is the backdrop to a public parkette and highly visible in our downtown. As such, the DMBIA is pleased to be working with the property owner, local businesses, residents, community groups, partners, funders, and sponsors to help ensure that even though this piece of artwork will not remain in place, the wall can continue to be used to depict artwork that is relevant, inspiring for our community as whole. This initiative aligns with public and stakeholder feedback and recommendations from Milton’s first Council-approved Culture Plan ‘Here to Stay’.
We are grateful for the support and guidance from the Milton Historical Society to help ensure the current mural, and those involved in its creation, are honored and celebrated. Images and information about the current mural will also be entered into Milton’s historical archives.
We are thrilled to be working with Arts Milton, STEPS and members of the local arts community to help install a new mural on this wall. For the artists involved in creating and installing the new artwork, this is a unique and significant opportunity to showcase their skills, expand their craft and be a part of the history of our community. The painting process will be documented and shared to create an opportunity for learning and inspiration for others.
Our mural working group is made up of community partners, local business owners, artists, residents and others. The group has identified these key themes for the new artwork:
· Recognizing the past, present and future of Milton
· Celebrating our downtown
· Vibrant, dynamic, colourful imagery
· Diversity of our town
Stay tuned for further details on the project and for opportunities to meet the lead artist, learn about the process and get involved. If you have any questions, please email info@downtownmilton.com.
About the current artwork: The mural painting illustrates the artist’s conception of the Mill Pond at the turn of the century. It depicts people doing recreational activities like those of the present day, including taking a stroll, fishing, and walking a dog. It also shows some scenes of children playing and fishing. The artist and art director was Sharose, and they were assisted by Pat Schryer, Denise Schryer, Walter Chamberlain, and Arthur Mine.
