The artist behind a new public mural is lauding the city for breaking stereotypes.
Winding its way up the main staircase at Timmins city hall, it's the final 2019 piece for the youth mural project and it's one of the largest.
Artist Mique Michelle took over the stairwell last week to paint the colourful piece that she hopes shows the city's diversity.
It all came together quickly.
When Michelle was originally booked for the dates to do another piece for the initiative, it was for a smaller 3 x 4 piece at the library.
Instead, she was given the keys to city hall and a blank slate to do her work.
“I can’t imagine what kind of message that must send to the youth, to people who might feel like they don’t have their place in this city, that this happening. Graffiti within the walls, way to break stereotypes and create good dialogue, thank you so much,” she said Friday after putting the finishing touches on the mural.
While she consulted with city staff, she was given the go-ahead to paint without showing a sketch first.
“I truly think if we treat a lot more projects that way, that’s true reconciliation. It’s not going to someone and telling them this is what I want from you, and that’s how things are going to get better,” Michelle said.
In 2019, murals have been popping up around the city as part of funding Coun. Kristin Murray secured through her job as a health promoter at Misiway Milopemahtesewin Community Health Centre. The goal is to have Indigenous elders share their teachings with youth, who then depict the teachings in murals.
The first mural in the project was painted by Michelle and youth at the Timmins airport. Across from city hall, another is painted on the wall of Porcupine Advance Printers.
The recent piece is her sixth mural this year as part of the project, with there being seven murals in total so far.
It was Timmins CAO Dave Landers who suggested to Murray that something should be painted at the entrance to city hall, and she was all for it.
“I didn’t let really any time lapse between when he asked me and when Mique came, it was like immediate,” she said.
Because scaffolding was needed for this project, the youth didn't get to help paint it. Michelle and Murray consulted with Timmins High and Vocational School students before it was painted, though.
Murray said elements of all the consultations they've had with youth since starting the project are tied into each mural.
“When we consulted with the youth originally, at the first consultation they mentioned that Timmins is sometimes known just for mining, but not everyone is a miner. They were really verbal about not wanting another headframe picture, things like that. But we found it important because there is such a rich mining history to put elements of gold in the mural,” said Murray.
Starting at the entrance, the city's geological features are celebrated with abstract water and gold.
"In the geology we put lines of blue, of water, so it ties it all in. At the same time, it’s abstract enough that it’s easy to read because it’s a stairwell, it’s a pretty narrow space. You don’t want people stepping back and tripping,” Michelle said, explaining the gold is also depicted in a way to show it was here before Timmins existed.
Every aspect of the mural is intentional.
The hands holding an eagle feather show diversity in the colours used for the skin tones and the minerals in the rings are a reminder of the other base metals mined in the area.
“The eagle feather is a very sacred item in the Indigenous culture. In this specific mural the eagle feather is over the head, so typically when an eagle feather is over your head it is a blessing. Anyone who walks up these stairs, it just signifies that we’re not blessing them in the sense of any type of religion, but wishing them health and happiness,” Murray explained.
On the landing between the first and second floor, the names of people are worked into the piece. There are Fallen Feathers, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, local advocates for diversity, along with the names of some of the youth who have participated in the project so far.
In a news release, Timmins Mayor George Pirie said he's excited with the participation of youth in the project.
"They have envisioned a future for our community that embraces the physical environment such as our rivers and the Canadian Shield and that also recognizes the important roles that the Indigenous people have played in our region," he said.
