A new Aldergrove mural project aims to provide a beautiful“Gateway into Aldergrove” by this fall.
Susan Gorris and her Art in the Country studio in Aldergrove is sponsoring the creation of a new, dynamic public art mural in Aldergrove.
She has gathered the talents of 11 artists, who are preparing a 300 foot painted mural for the Kitchen Korner building on Fraser Highway and Old Yale Road.
Intended as a visually welcoming entrance into Aldergrove, the artists’ visions of architectural openings such as gates, doors and windows will be used to symbolically open the viewer onto a threshold of diverse figurative subjects, inanimate objects and natural designs found in Aldergrove.
This large collection of artworks will celebrate Aldergrove ‘s unique presence in Langley and aspects of its historic and present development in farming, animals, technology, sports, parks and the harmony of merging cultures.
The participating artists include Robin Bandenieks, Marilyn Dyer-Seidel, Eva Erdos, Rick Forbes, Nikol Haskova, Marilyn Hunt, Michael Kluckner, Rachel Ko, Santo Mignosa, Terry Vlaar and Susan Gorris.
“Each of us will be painting our acrylic creations on three 4x8 plywood sheets, which makes a total of 33 sheets of art on plywood, which will fill the entire 300 foot wall of the building, facing onto Fraser Highway,” said Gorris.
The murals will complement the ceramic art at the centre of the wall which was created by Gorris’s students at Aldergrove Secondary School eight years ago.
“The idea is for the artists to use openings of some kind — windows, doors, gateways — which open into their impressions of Aldergrove, with a continuum of lime green alder trees interspersed among the mural panels,” said Gorris.
“Intended as a series of paintings that describe Aldergrove, it will have a diverse range of figures, inanimate objects and natural designs will complement each work. A focus on Aldergrove ‘s unique presence in Langley may include aspects of its historic and present development in farming, animals, housing, educational programs, sports, restaurants, wineries, parks and the harmony of merging cultures.”
Of special consideration will be the incorporation of the current ceramic mural created by Gorris’s students eight years ago.
The design concept included a tree that symbolized growth, lush soil and the many roots of Aldergrove’s people. Additionally the viewer sees a small sample of the many wild animals who thrive in our community. The geometric shapes in the sky represent the development and future of technology in Aldergrove.
A granite plaque with the names of each student artist participant was installed outside the upper right corner of the framed mural.
“This Mural Project will provide a greater expansion of many artists’ work for all to view; in itself this provides another demonstration of our appreciation and nurturing of a culturally rich environment,” said Gorris.
“One of the most profound benefits of any arts pursuit is the connection to the individual human spirit. In this age of a technical evolution that is both exciting and challenging, attention to the marks of humanity are often found within the fine arts of painting, sculpture, music, dance and theatre. As paramount instruments of human expression, they provide respite from the stress of uncertainty, development and change. They also have the power to publicly capture the essence of a distinguished community. This is Aldergrove.”
The mural is funded by a seed grant from Kitchen Korner, with additional sponsorships from Wilway Lumber and Opus Framing and Art Supplies. Gorris is also seeking further grants and sponsorships for the project.
The Langley Arts Council has partnered with Art in the Country in Aldergrove for many years. Art in the Country’s director, Susan Gorris, has served as a director with LAC for two years and is newly retired from her teaching positions with the Langley School District for 26 years. As Mural Project Coordinator, she continues to seek community support for public artwork through member feedback, liaisons with local businesses, hosting community services in her Art in the Country studio.
