Murals on the Heights
Every other year, the Heights Merchants Association sponsors an arts student to design and paint a mural on a prominent wall on the Heights - often, these walls are frequent victims of unsightly graffiti. Having a mural on these walls not only brightens up our neighbourhood, but deters taggers from vandalizing property. The HMA has been fortunate to work with several very talented artists over the years, and their art continues to be a promising legacy for our community.
In 2008, the HMA is sponsoring a mural at 4098 Hastings Street, at the corner of Gilmore Avenue. Located right at a busy intersection, this mural will be viewed every day by pedestrians, drivers, and commuters.
The mural and concept
The aesthetic inspiration of the mural is derived from Russian poster art. It depicts epic beams of light cast on a house while a family stands in the foreground. The scene is reminiscent of the first photo documentation of Height’s residence. The home itself is done in an architectural drawing style to evoke traces of ghost buildings as well to anticipate future development. The complete image speaks of the simplicity of life and is intended to energize the public space while being a reminder of humble beginnings.
The artist - Alex Achtem
Alex is a student at Emily Carr and will be returning in the fall to study installation, sculpture and media arts. She previously studied theatre design at the University of Victoria after growing up in the Okanagan Valley. Alex has had an assortment of art related jobs ranging from scenic painter, illustrator, instructor and gallery assistant. When she is not painting 30 foot walls, Alex enjoys traveling, garage sale hunting and baking pies.
How to get involved
Decisions regarding murals are made by the HMA's Mural Committee. If you are a business or property owner interested in public art projects and would like to get involved, please contact our office at     604 294 8899 . If you have a wall that you think would be suitable for a mural, keep it in mind for our next mural project in 2010.
Thank you!
The mural project couldn't happen without the generous support provided by Heights merchants and community members.
Adele-Rae Florist
City of Burnaby
Companion Book
Custom Mortgages
Gilmore Community School
Hastings Community Police Office
Heights Merchants Mural Committee
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 38
Jack Wong, Building Owner
Matrix Production Services Ltd.
Robertson Home Hardware
Scotabank (Burnaby branches)
United Rentals
How to paint a mural
Painting a mural on a 30 foot wall is a process that involves many steps. Here is just a brief glimpse into what Alex is up to.
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Step 1 - Choose a wall
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Step 2 - Prime the wall
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Step 3 - Get your coworkers and friends to help spraypaint the drawing on the wall
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Step 4 - Admire the wall
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Step 5 - Start blocking in colours
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Step 6 - Trust the scissor lift to get you where you need to go
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| Step 7 - Keep blending, shading, and painting
| Step 8 - Make sure those final few lines are straight
| Step 9 - Celebrate the mural with community members, friends, and family
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