Métissée Franco-Ontarian artist Mique Michelle says she's had fun filming a new TV show.
The shooting for the educational show, Couleurs Du Nord, developed by Lopii Productions in partnership with the French channel TFO wrapped up in Timmins last week.
Michelle is the host of the show.
In each episode, she travels to a different community throughout Northern Ontario working with the youth on designing and painting a mural at each location.
In Timmins, Michelle and four youths went to Cedar Meadows Resort and Misiway Community Health Centre where they talked to Gary Martin about different medicines. They also went to Gillies Lake, Timmins Public Library and Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre.
“The kids, the participants, those artists, their leadership, watch out. Those faces – you’ll see them again,” Michelle said.
The unveiling of the mural, located downtown Timmins, took place last Thursday. The mural can be found heading south on Spruce Street from Algonquin Boulevard (toward Third Avenue). It's in the alley just past TMAC and ComTec Computers.
Mayor George Pirie, Coun. Cory Robin, Michelle and the youth attended the event.
“We had a great turnout, so many people showed up to look at the mural. It was really nice,” said the Lopii Productions’ CEO and executive producer Rennata Lopez, who co-founded the company with her twin sister Georgina Lopez.
The series, which will air in 2022, will tell the stories of northern, rural and Indigenous communities through the eyes of local youth and teach viewers about their community's history, culture and traditions.
“We’re highlighting communities that (do) not necessarily get representation on TV. And showing there’s a whole plethora of communities north of Toronto that exist with their own culture and diversity, unique different things we can highlight, and people,” Lopez said. “We were lucky to meet Mique who is great at connecting people and connecting communities and getting kids to celebrate who they are and where they come from. That’s the whole premise of the show.”
Michelle said suggesting to film in Timmins was a no-brainer, considering her past experience painting murals in Timmins.
"Like we got to go to Timmins. It's such a help when everybody comes from different communities either by choice for hockey or because of the evacuations or because of a job," she said. "I think you guys are going to be really happy with the way the kids represented Timmins. I’m excited. I’m so proud.”
After Timmins, the crew headed to Cochrane and will be off to Timiskaming Shores and Sudbury.
