"Chuckwagon Races"

"Chuckwagon Races" by Paul Van Ginkel, 1993 - 1 (Photo © 2007 by Ramona Heikel)

"Chuckwagon Races" by Paul Van Ginkel, 1993 - 2 (Photo © 2007 by Ramona Heikel)

The first view of this mural gives us a feeling of its size.

When I look at the second, I have the urge to get out of the way of those galloping horses—a feeling achieved, I think, by the artist's perspective.

This is another mural in the High River Albert mural series. Below is the story of the mural as told in the Historic Murals Walking Tour brochure:

Cattle Drive

"Cattle Drive at the 'D' Ranch on Pekisko Creek" by Jack Rigaux, 1990
Photo © 2007 by Ramona Heikel

And a closer view.

This is another mural in the High River, Alberta mural series. Below is the story of the mural as told in the Historic Murals Walking Tour brochure:

"Fort Spitzee"

A friend sent some photos of the historic murals in High River, Alberta. I'll be posting those in the next few weeks.

"Fort Spitzee" painted by Terry Winter, 1992 (photo © 2007 by Ramona Heikel)

Today's photo is a High River street scene with just a teaser of a mural ("Fort Spitzee" by Terry Winter, 1992).  Wouldn't you just love to walk between the buildings and see the whole thing?

Notice the Hudson Bay coat worn by the person in the painting. Hudson Bay blankets (white with characteristic green, red, yellow and blue stripes) were one of the items the Indians got in trade for beaver pelts.

A brochure on the High River web site gives walking tour directions to view all the town's murals and tells the story of each one. Below is the story of the Fort Spitzee mural from that brochure. 

Start up the band!

It's been almost a year since I updated this blog! In that time I've collected a few more mural shots and even had some sent to me. So here goes for fresh start.

I'm beginning with a mural that's close to home. You'll find this lively musical scene in downtown Langley. It's painted on the back of McBurney's Coffee and Tea House, facing the plaza that joins Douglas Crescent with Fraser Highway. (It replaces the faded old buggy, that was starting to show its age.)