National mural project brightens Carbonear

By Olivia Bradbury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Things are a lot more colourful in Carbonear thanks to the mural outside the Conception Bay Regional Community Centre that was unveiled last week.
Mayor Sam Slade and council pulled the curtain, so to speak, on the gigantic series of paintings within a painting created by Alberta artist Lewis Lavoie.
The artwork is part of the national Global Roots project, which sees Lavoie take small paintings and arrange them into a larger piece. He also gets residents to paint mosaic tiles which are collected digitally and put together to make a Mural Mosaic. His newest mural is comprised of tiles painted by people all across Canada, including residents from the town of Carbonear.
The mural’s reveal took place on June 1.
Mayor Slade said he was proud of the town’s partnership with Global Roots. “It brings our community together with the rest of Canada,” he said, thanking Lavoie and his brother, Paul for travelling to Carbonear to help with the unveiling.
“To everyone who participated in this project, and those who are going to be participating in future mural projects, I thank you on behalf of council and staff,” said Slade. “Thank you for actively helping our town showcase its unity, diversity and beauty. The power of art and the connection it produces will now be on display in our wonderful town.”
Lavoie told the crowd gathered for the unveiling that the mural is called Back to Nature.
“In every one of these murals that we’ve done in this series, there’s a young girl in there and she’s got her Canada goose with her,” he said.
He noted the murals also always include a big tree. “The reason why I do a big tree is because our First Nations have this saying about, ‘We’re all connected by the roots’.”
Lavoie said he is delighted the mural is in Carbonear. “This is, in my opinion, one of the finest towns in all of Newfoundland,” he said. “It’s my vision of what a Newfoundland town looks like.”