The public unveiling of Powell River Town Centre’s Legacy Wall on Thursday, September 21, was the culmination of work by artist Sabrina Upton, and qathet region participants at last year's literacy event, in September of 2022.
Upton said she created the outline of the 20-foot mural, but it was painted by children and folks from the community.
“We had the mural set up in one of the open spaces [in the mall], and then for 10 days, families were invited to come paint it; so it’s a community piece,” said Upton. “We ended up with some interesting imagery, like a purple cougar, and that’s the fun of it.”
Powell River Town Centre general manager Lorelei Guthrie said they worked with the Lift Literacy program to bring the mural idea to fruition.
“Last September, we had a fun week of word search games, mural painting and lots of volunteers to help kids navigate painting,” said Guthrie. “I wanted to leave a legacy gift to the community, and when I talked to Sabrina about what my vision was, this is what she put together; it depicts everything Powell River.”
Peppered throughout the mural are letters, such as, “p” for Pacific Ocean or “b” for bear.
“Lorelei wanted all the historical buildings, outdoor activities, some of the huts, everything that makes [qathet] a great place, that we all love to live in,” added Upton.
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
