Kris Friesen
Gallery
Strathcona County Museum: Finished Mural
This wall mural for the Strathcona County Museum and Archives was painted in my studio in Victoria, BC, before being installed on site in Sherwood Park, AB. The mural utilizes the three subjects of the Museum's logo; Sherwood Park (and Strathcona County), the Aspen Parklands, and the Beaver Hills Biosphere. Blending these three elements together, two natural and one urban, with three layers gives the wall mural a colorful curved design that is noticeable blocks away.
This exterior mural has a low level of detail, that is, it has far fewer layers and details than my regular murals. I paint a low detail mural by only painting three passes or less, a pass being one acrylic painting session where the subject is painted and left to dry. For a regular mural at full detail, I often paint more than 10 passes.
Photo: Shewood Park - Strathcona County News For centuries, art has been used to convey messages and emotions that words cannot.
Currently a freelancer in Victoria, BC, Kris has spent the last quarter century painting his clients’ stories and transforming their narratives into artwork.
Despite having lived in Edmonton for 15 years, Kris admits he was unaware these sites lie within the UNESCO designated Beaver Hills Biosphere.
We encourage you to view the mural at the Strathcona County Museum and take a moment to learn more about the strong cultural roots and natural heritage than run deep through the Beaver Hills Biosphere.
Lindsay Morey/News Staff Vancouver Island-based artist Kris Friesen, who has ties with the local SPARK Centre, is no stranger to the Edmonton arts scene, as he’s created many works in the city in the past decade, but this mural is his first in Strathcona County.
The other layers include nature scenes from Elk Island National Park, the Beaver Hills Biosphere, and Hastings Lake.
“It’s interesting because we didn’t necessarily know what we wanted to do on the building but when we saw this grant opportunity that sponsored the creation of artwork in the county, it sort of one of those things where everything came together for us and it seemed like the right time to strike,” said Levitt.
“We’ve been staring at this blank wall for decades and we knew that something should go here — all of the stars aligned.” The museum executive director hopes residents will fall in love with the piece.
I am available for freelance. Can't wait for the next exciting project! Could be yours?