Mural on wheels

Need a drawing surface for your mural? How about your car?

This blue station wagon looks like it's enjoying its life as a traveling picture book.

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Playtime at the mall

I love the soft colors and the picture book feel of this mural that decorates the children's play area in one of our local shopping malls.


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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.)

"Torch" eagle

Another eagle from the Eagles in the City project (Vancouver area), "Torch" was painted by Marty Collins.

I photographed it when it was on display at Cascades Casino in Langley, B.C. These eagles have since been auctioned, with the money collected going to Easter Seal Services to children with disabilities.

Ethnic food comes alive

Mural on the wall of Kostas Greek Restaurant - Langley, B.C.

Enjoy your pita, tzatziki, spanokapita, souvlaki and calamari against the backdrop of a Greek villa. 

Picturesque bird

Over the last few years the Vancouver area has hosted several 'critters' in the city projects. The first one was Orcas In the City. The next was Spirit Bears in the City. The latest project is Eagles In the City. Here is one of those eagles, currently on display at the Fraser Valley Regional Library Langley city branch, where you will find me often, borrowing or returning books.

"Reflective Flight" was painted by Betty Powell and Marlene Harker

The purpose of these projects is to showcase local artists, encourage tourism, and  raise money for the Easter Seal Houses, which provide services to children with disabilities around the province

All that jazz

This fabulous mural is on the wall of a coffee shop just down the street from me. I just love it!

Playground whimsy

Nothing deep here - just a couple of playground murals. The first sunflowery one is in Douglas Park in Langley. We pass it on our walk almost every day.

The beach scene is found in Riverfront Park in Kamloops. Doesn't it make you want to just grab a bucket and a shovel and start digging?

Langley carvings - Mayor Ernie

This carving of first Langley mayor Ernie Sendall sits in Sandall Gardens - 201 A Street & 50 Avenue.

Sendall Gardens is an almost 4 acre park with beautiful and unique plants, shrubs and trees, plus two duck ponds. Apparently it is a popular place for wedding and family photos. The day we visited Mayor Ernie was the only person we shared the park with. The carving is by Pete Ryan.

Langley carvings - The Portage

This handsome carving of two men portaging a canoe stands in the plaza in front of the building that houses the library and Langley City offices. It's at the corner of 204th and Douglas Street. Carvings are by Pete Ryan.

Langley carvings - The Traders

These two figures make the piece called "The Traders." They stand facing toward each other near the corner of Fraser Highway and Glover Road. Carvings are by Pete Ryan.






These two figures stand facing each other near the corner of Fraser Highway and Glover Road.

Langley carvings - The Station

This pole sculpture shows scenes from the city's past. It's found at the corner of Logan and Fraser Highway.

Langley carvings - The Conductor

This is my favorite of the Pete Ryan carvings I've seen so far. It's called "The Conductor" and is at the corner of 204th Street and Fraser Highway in Langley.

Wood carvings of Langley - The Farmer

Since moving to Langley at the end of August, we've been exploring its streets and alleys. Along the way, we've made some lovely discoveries -- like the wood carvings done by Pete Ryan. So far, we've found six. Over the next few days I'll introduce them.

Today meet The Farmer. He stands at the corner of Glover Road and Duncan Way.

Changing times

Langley, B.C. - McBurney's Plaza

Fort Langley historicals

Time to catch up on some murals I've photographed in the past few weeks.

You'll find these colorful paintings, that focus on the native heritage of the area and the coming of European settlers, tucked away in Gasoline Alley just off Fort Langley's main street. They were painted by Brandon Gabriel, a graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, and a member of the Kwantlen First Nation in Fort Langley B.C.

McBurney's Coffee and Tea House

If you read my other blog, you will know we're moving to the city of Langley in less than a month. This is a place we're not unfamiliar with, but neither do we know it well. It's where our church is so we've made multi trips through town but never spent much time in it. Our new home is walking distance from church and is a few minutes' drive from Langley's downtown.

Langley has more of a small town feeling to it than Surrey (the sprawling city we live in now, which really doesn't have one downtown, but four or five business centers -- like Cloverdale, Ocean Park, Guildford and Newton -- which used to be the centers of small towns or settlements )

We really noticed the change in ambience when we drove out to Langley in early July to show some friends the property we had bought. After that we went downtown to where there is still angle parking on some of the streets. We browsed in a few shops, then went for a coffee at McBurney's Coffee and Tea House. (In the virtual tour - link above - McBurney's Coffee House is right of the McBurney Lane sign.) Apparently they have regular live music evenings there - like jazz and such. Judging from the mural on the wall (photo above), one should expect a good time!

Noah's Ark mural

This cheery Noah's Ark mural greets the youngest members of our congregation every Sunday.

That plus these underwater scenes on the walls -- all drawn and painted by (or under the supervision of) Kim Block -- give a wonderfully kid-friendly atmosphere to the children's foyer of our church.