100 Mile & District Arts Council

The 100 Mile House Mural Society was established in 2004. Since that time, ten murals have been facilitated by our group. The planning of each mural is unique and often resembles the look of a perfectly spun spider web. There are many factors to be considered for each and every mural and it is a complex feat to have those factors align.

The first task of obtaining a wall can often be daunting in itself. Often the business owner and the building owner are not one and the same and an agreement cannot always be reached. A location may be secured, only to find that the surface texture or size of the wall is not appropriate for the chosen depiction. This entails either finding a new location or revamping the mural. It is just one of many scenarios that can take place at this early stage of the planning process.

After obtaining the required permission to use a wall, the creation of the depiction begins. This often means several months of designing and re-designing by the artist to suit the desires of the commissioning party. Once an agreement is reached, the Mural Society must obtain approval from the District of 100 Mile House, the business owner and the building owner prior to commencement of the painting.

Preparation of the wall is often done by the members of the Mural Society themselves. The walls must be thoroughly washed and rinsed, cracks filled and a primer applied. It is imperative that the wall be in optimum condition in order to have the paint adhere properly and ensure longevity of the mural.

Once the painting is started, there can be several hurdles to overcome. The artists are at the mercy of the weather and there are often days or weeks where constant rain causes the painting to come to a halt. Sun can also be a challenge, as the paint cannot be allowed to dry too quickly. Furthermore, the temperature must remain at a certain level above freezing for at least 24 hours for the paint to cure properly. Due to our short summer season here in the Cariboo, these factors can often turn a 7 day job into several weeks.

The above is just a snapshot into the process behind the scenes of the murals. Each mural presents its own challenges but the rewards make each and every one worth it. The 100 Mile House Mural Society is honoured to have the privilege of remembering our pioneers through the use of large-scale artwork and we look forward to many more murals to come!