Restoring and Extending the “History of the Heights” Mural
The HMA has been creating murals since 2002, and today we have 11 of them. Some are as large as 60 feet long and 25 feet high. Smaller ones are 9 or 10 feet high and 3 feet wide.
The Mural we are showcasing today was originally created in 2002 and was at risk of permanent damage. In 2018, we hired ArtVision Painting of Burnaby, to repair and seal the wall’s surface. We then rehired the original artist, Jacquie Rolston, to restore the art piece. She needed to match the paints and re-create the original artwork in various damaged spots from top to bottom of the wall. She also created a charming extension of the Mural that told a continuation of the story, “History of the Heights”. The newest part of the Mural shows a mechanic chatting with a local, while his kids play on the steps nearby.
Murals are wonderful because they serve in so many ways: they create beauty and interesting scenes in our urban landscapes, they contribute to our local culture, they liven up an otherwise boring wall, they prevent graffiti, and they add to our community’s assets as a valuable piece of public art.
About the artist:
Jacquie Rolston studied fine arts at Emily Carr University, specializing in Animation. Since creating this mural (her first!) in 2002, Jacquie Rolston has worked as a fine artist in animation and illustration, also creating giant lanterns for Metro Vancouver parks. She also enjoys making puppets, Ukrainian Easter eggs, and stained glass. She has been teaching kids and adults art classes for the past 15 years and is now pursuing her teacher’s certification at SFU.
The Mural was largely funded by the Heights Merchants Association. It was helped by a grant from Employment and Social Development Canada to hire the artist the first time and is receiving support from the City of Burnaby’s Mural Grant Program.
Special thanks to the Heights Merchants Association Mural Committee members, as well as Todd Pollich, the anti-graffiti coordinator at the City of Burnaby.
