A mural in Sechelt’s Friendship Park defaced with bizarre graffiti last fall has been restored.
In 2016, local muralist Dean Schutz created “Sunday Afternoon on Sechelt’s Grand Shore” in the style of French post-impressionist Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday on la Grand Jatte” — but featuring local characters and places instead of Parisians on the bank of the Seine. “When first selected to paint a mural celebrating Sechelt’s 30th anniversary it was clear to me that the shíshálh Nation must be included in the piece. 2016 also being the 30th anniversary of the Canadian government recognizing the self-government of the shíshálh Nation, this presented the opportunity for a reconciliation exercise. Collaboration with the Nation led me to many of the concepts included in the design. My hope is this mural brings a smile while it unites the community in joyful curiosity and also serves as a reminder and inspiration to honour, acknowledge, and learn from the past and present as we strive to work toward a more harmonious future,” Schutz shared in a statement.
Following the vandalism, Sechelt consulted with a professional graffiti removal company and Schutz developed and completed the restoration plan. The restoration itself took two months, over May and June. The funding for the restoration came from Sechelt’s public arts budget.
