Ribbon-Cutting on August 26th

After painting a wide swath of over 60 large murals across Canada over the past 30+ years, Canadian artist/author Michael R. Gaudet's latest mural (of monumental proportions) has been installed just outside the Village of Young, SK.

"Forever YOUNG" is twenty feet high and eighty feet long, mounted ten feet above the ground on a huge steel frame that is engineered to withstand gale-force winds. The mural is claimed to be the "World's Largest Free-Standing Mural".

This stunning photo shows the massive scale of "forever YOUNG" as the panels are installed.

Gaudet says, "I always use professional-quality artist's acrylics for my paintings and murals. These paints are considerably more expensive than exterior latex, however they are the superior product for murals. I usually shy away from painting directly on an existing wall, because a mural is only as good as the surface it is painted on. Instead, I use a specially engineered painting panel that gets installed on the wall. In the case of the Young project, we opted to build a structure on which to install my mural."

"I will begin a mural project by collaborating with the stakeholders in order to come up with an authorized design. Once this happens, the rough sketches are upgraded to a scale drawing that is suitable to be replicated as a limited edition print. The print can then be marketed in order to raise funds for the mural. This is a formula for success."

The mural "forever YOUNG" faces the busy #2 highway just south of Young, SK.

The "forever YOUNG" mural features thirty-one images in a "montage" style design. All of these scenes and people are recognizable. They are sourced from the Young history book and also from private photograph collections from the community. In the coming days, a "legend" will appear on the left-hand side of the mural. This legend will feature an outline of every aspect of the mural that will have a number designating its meaning. Below this will be a list of all the pictures that will allow viewers to identify all of the images.

"This huge mural was very challenging to paint," continues the artist. "Not only was it a lot of physical work, at one-thousand six-hundred square feet, but the images themselves were very detailed and rigorous painting. My technique calls for about fifteen glazes over the entire surface, so in all, the painting entailed about twenty-four thousand square feet of application to finish. That's a lot."

Plans are underway to celebrate the completion of the "forever YOUNG" mural with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 26th, 2017. Everyone is invited to attend. Come out to lend your support to this astonishing accomplishment, inspired by the never-quit attitude of the planning committee. 

About the Artist/Author:

Taking a pause for the cause while working on the "forever YOUNG" mural.

Please visit www.mrgaudet.com to read more and to purchase a copy of "Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality".

Huge Mural to be Mounted in Young, SK. Summer of '17.

After waiting for about 4 years, it would appear that the Village of Young is ready to mount my giant ( 20' x 80' qualifies as giant wouldn't you agree?) mural this summer of 2017.

I met with a couple of committee members last night and they were making encouraging noises. When I was driving by this morning on my way to dialysis in Saskatoon,

I decided to pull over and make this quick video to show you how really massive the frame is. It allows for the mural itself to be mounted 10 feet off the ground.

View of the partial mural while being painted at the Young Arena. The mural is 20' by 80', so with a 17' high ceiling, I had to  paint it in 2 sections. Do the math.

I was careful to carefully document the "Work-in-Progress" of the "forever YOUNG" mural, as it was the largest mural to date that I ever created.

Selfie...

What a lot of painting! With something this HUGE, there is going to be a LOT of heavy physical work. So. I paused during a typically busy day to take a selfie with the mural as a backdrop.

About the Artist/Author:

To read more, please visit www.mrgaudet.com

"Premiere Van Lines" Pick up Mural Panels...

Yesterday was a big day in my world.  About a week ago, I scheduled a pick-up with SGEU for "Premiere Van Lines" to come from Regina to pick up the painted panels...of the two murals for SGEU. I was just putting on the "finishing touches", so the firm date added a sense of urgency, you might say. Nothing like a deadline to get things done!

The friendly, professional Premiere Van Lines team arrived exactly on schedule.

In a world full of "OK" so-called "professionals", the team of movers rolled in exactly on schedule. After I plied them with a quick coffee, we settled in to deconstruct the second mural, which was still affixed to the temporary frame.

A reminder of the first mural of two...while it was still mounted.

By this time, I had already dismantled the first mural and had stacked it behind the temporary frame. The second mural was also finished and we needed to take it down to move it. I had mounted the panels with an absolute minimum of hardware, thinking ahead to the move.

The second (slightly larger) mural remained affixed to the frame until the day it was moved.

It was fast and easy to dismantle the second mural...there were only 2 or 3 screws holding the panel in place. So, coffee sipped, we were ready to get down to business.

Al and Tanya agreed to pose for a quick snapshot, for posterity.

I decided before the "Premiere VL" arrived to be conscientious about taking lots of photos of the process. I was happy that the team cheerfully agreed. This was an intense painting adventure for me, as I recognized right from the get-go that it is one of the most...if not THE most, important mural commissions in Saskatchewan this year. Remember, while the originals are destined to be permanently installed at SGEU's spanky new Headquarters in Regina...no mean feat in itself...but also, perhaps more important (in terms of high-profile visibility), the artwork will be dramatically enlarged to fully TWICE their original size and pressed into service as highway billboards at a "very high" traffic location. So, this...in the grand picture...is pretty astounding. You can rest assured that I will chronicling the whole trip!

Al wore his "The Art of Moving" shirt...very appropriate considering the task at hand!

I was deeply impressed with Al's "The Art of Moving" sweat-shirt, very fitting, don't you think, considering the task at hand! I specifically asked him to pose with the slogan on his back. He cheerfully complied...which I thought was pretty darn cool.

The movers brought lots of blankets along to protect the precious cargo.

I watched as Al and Tanya very methodically loaded and positioned each panel. They were very careful to make sure that there would be no issues with the panels getting scratched or damaged in any way. They thought ahead, and brought plenty of blankets to ensure a safe, uneventful trip.

I was really impressed with how extremely careful and respectful Al and Tanya were moving each panel.

If you look carefully at the above photo, you will see that after the panels came down off their frame, they  were never allowed to touch the ground, until they came to rest inside the truck. See? This panel is held free and clear of any contact with the gravel underfoot by being strategically positioned on the steel toes of each shoe under the left and right foot! Attention to detail much?

Tanya snapped a quick photo to show the dismantling in process.

 I thought it would be a nice touch to ask Tanya to snag a quick shot showing me wielding my cordless drill, in the act of dismantling a panel, down off its frame. Al helpfully stood by, holding the panel in place, lest it fall forward. 

Al agreed to stand with me just prior to loading the final panel on-board.

Just before they loaded and secured the last panel -the one on the far right of the second mural- into the truck, Al and I posed for one final picture. Thanks for doing this, Tanya! We made a special point to maintain the correct order of panels...in consideration of taking them of the truck for them to be photographed in Regina...with instructions to replicate the order upon arrival at SGEU. I reasoned, may as think ahead to avoid any mix-up down the line.

Now, if I was to grade the performance of both Al and Tanya from "Premiere Van Lines", I would reward them with a five out of five gold stars, without hesitation. One star for professionalism, another for friendliness, a third for promptness, four for respect, and a fifth for carefulness.

Stay tuned for the rest of this story. It's not over until the artwork reaches its final destination...out on Saskatchewan highways, blown up to twice this size and up in the air on their billboard infrastructure!

Sprinting to the Finish Line

Now that the so-called 'full-spectrum tonal study' is nearing completion, I can start adding the 'native' or 'local' colors. In my opinion, the advantage of using the 'full-spectrum tonal study' throughout the entire composition BEFORE committing to local color is that this approach lends an overall continuity and warmth to the painting. No part of this mural appears isolated from the rest; rather, the whole things hangs together as a unified field.

The richness of the shadowy parts in contrast with the highlighted colors is really apparent as the steam locomotive comes into sharp resolution.

The cluster of figures is now about ready for 'local' color after the last treatment with pthalo blue strengthens the shadows. At this point all of the colors represent only the 'full-spectrum tonal study'. No effort has yet been expended in introducing the actual colors of the clothing or flesh tones. That will take place in the coming days so wait for it. You will see quite a radical transformation as it progresses.

The horse and buggy now stand out in sharp contrast from the background (more muted) colors. Also, the perspective of the horse creates a convincing illusion that he is popping out of the surface.

The parade of vintage vehicles begins to come into its own as increasing contrast and resolution (those two elements seem to go hand-in-hand with this technique) begin to enhance the three-dimensional dynamic.

A more distant shot of the parade shows the marchers along with historic downtown Young...with the seemingly gigantic cows calmly overlooking the scene. I wonder what they are thinking?

Backing up even further to show the relationship between the horse and buggy and the parade. The diving perspective is accentuated by the sweeping lines of both the parade route and in opposition...the horse's torso that proudly stands in front of the letter 'N'.

Looking back on the lower section of the mural towards the end of the work day.

I think the fairly busy collage of shapes is sorting itself out quite nicely at the lower right-hand side of the composition.

Turns out that the two portraits of our honored WWII vets will be every bit as prominent as the weathered figures at the upper left-hand side of the mural. I was a bit surprised at how large and eye-catching these two figures ended up being. Sometimes it really is difficult to anticipate how things will look until they show up on the wall.

Just modeling the various textures in this vista that shows a clerk at the 'Bean Farm' operation. Again, I was just a bit surprised at how prominent this figure turned out to be. He nicely anchors the middle right-hand side of the composition.

The parting shot of the lower section of the mural shows how the overall continuity holds the composition together in a coherent fashion. Even with such a complex phantasmagoria of shapes and colors there is certainly a visual and conceptual order.

I might just have to buy an actual video camera...

Purple Glaze all in my brain...

Advancing with iron-willed determination with the remaining few square meters of red glaze...already anticipating the rush of 'purple glaze'...

There. That should just about do the trick for the application of the translucent red glaze. Time to crack open my ( probably ) most favorite glaze...purple! Or, more accurately, dioxazine violet if you want to be exact.

Can you spot the encroachment of violet?

Everything really pops with the addition of a translucent violet glaze. Suddenly the shadows start to make themselves known and the earthiness of these first three glazes with all of their infinite intermingling becomes apparent.

You can see the steam engine grows bolder and more powerful looking with the addition of violet. Maybe I am getting just a bit ahead of myself but I thought I would have a little fun with some steely blues to create the beginning of an impression of reflective iron on the front of this huge machine. Rules? What rules? It still has to be fun!

The composition of the first several objects starts taking shape with the gradient blue bits adding incredible depth and perspective.

There's something about atmospheric blue that intrinsically suggests depth and atmosphere. I think our brains via our eyes are hard-wired to accept this color as meaning "far far away", especially when it is a graduated tone from quite light on the bottom to rich as it ascends into space.

The cluster of figures just to the right of the train begin to dramatically come into their own once the violet glaze is applied. This glaze interacting with the previous red and orange glazes set on a base of golden flesh color begins to set up a dynamic surface tension that starts to convince the eye that the various shadows, highlights and contrasting shapes are surprisingly life-like.

Progressing to the right with the violet glaze forces the images to stand out in vivid contrast to their so-called 'negative space'.

I usually start my day with a certain goal in mind. This picture was taken yesterday...the goal was to to tease out the horse and buggy from the background and also to tidy up a variety of smaller details. Mission accomplished!

You can see the steady advancement of the violet glaze popping features out of the golden-flesh field.

One final parting shot from up on the sixteen foot step ladder...we have been here before! I think one more day will suffice to finish the purple glaze. Then it's on to...pthalo blue. Just wait, you will see the shadows and contrast pretty much leap off the page with the blue. But you already know that if you have been following.

One added pleasure for me while working away on the mural is when visitors pop in to check out my progress and (in general) cheer me on...as this is truly a marathon of painting. I try not to think too much about the formidable scale of this piece and just stick to the program...paint, paint, paint. Rest, drink, snack, paint, paint, paint.

Red Red Red and then more Red

While it is a somewhat slow and meticulous process, the 'red glaze' steadily blooms across the eighty foot span of panels. You can just see the man's torso emerging inside the letter 'O'.

The scaffold is rolling, rolling, rolling across the wall as the red glaze is methodically applied. There is really no rushing this process...each glaze must be patiently added in a certain order to achieve the full-spectrum tonal treatment that will ultimately lead to the final glazes of 'local' color which will cinch the process.

The red glaze defines the character and depth of this group of figures quite dramatically, coaxing them out of the long slow simmer of their ethereal existence trapped within the confines of the mock-up for the past two years. I am enjoying the daily progress of realization that is bringing them and the rest of this sprawling menagerie of characters and events to life.

Not showing any signs of slowing down yet as you can see by the blurry right hand wielding the magic brush

Goofing around with my friend the formidable Miss Lizzy G at the far right-hand side of the first ( ie: upper) set of panels which now form a semi-circle at their temporary resting place in the curved corner of the hockey rink at Young, SK., which is serving as my summer studio.

Working on the beginning of the 'Jubilee Street Parade' which will eventually feature quite prominently in the lower center of the composition. I like this scene because the vintage cars parked along Main Street Young create a strong time-based impression of years gone by. This adds to the overall theme of historic Young and also presents a dramatic, plunging depth of perspective that accentuates the three-dimensional illusion of the design.

Betty, Lizzy G and Marnie pose alongside the almost life-size team of oxen. We were laughing about the fact that once the mural is up on its permanent mount outside, these beasts will be soaring about twenty feet up in the air. So it will be a bit more difficult to get up close and personal at that point.

Ready to Rock the Red

With each successive glaze, the contrast grows stronger but just as important so does the resolution. And the red glaze is no exception...in fact it is one of the most powerful defining moments in the evolution of the mural.

The images are no longer merely amorphous...rather, at this stage the strength and character of the brushstrokes becomes abundantly obvious. It's a 'do or die' situation when it comes to the red.

The previous glaze (orange) needed to be applied super carefully, because the only guide was the 'plot point' sketch created with pencils. It was time-consuming to the utmost, due to the fact that it felt like a high wire act without a net, as the very sketchy guide lines do not help a whole lot in shoring up confidence. At that point I was heavily reliant on the dossier of source photos for reference. But now that the base glaze of orange is successfully applied, I am more free to fly with my brushes dipped in the powerful cadmium red medium.

As was the case with the orange glaze (as I pointed out in my previous post) it is paramount to make every brush stroke count, as these early glazes set the mood and template for all of the future glazes that will ultimately land us at the finished product. If you look carefully you will see that there is a lot of character and personality in the brushwork that defines the details and textures of the railway station. Even at this early stage.

I like the way that the railway station nicely anchors the lower left-hand side of the composition while forming a solid gravity that stitches it to the other buildings that sit at about 2:00 directly above and to the right. As I am just seeing it for the first time in the mural, I appreciate now that my design instincts were right on the mark with the scale and composition in this case.

You can see that the massive steam engine is rapidly coming into resolution with the addition of the red glaze. Although it will be a few days yet, I can already imagine how imposing it will appear with the following glazes: violet, pthalo blue, etc. Can you spot the two figures just beginning to emerge? They are there to establish the scale of the steam engine, incidentally the very first to pull into the rail-yards at Young back in the mid 19-teens.

What you are seeing is the result of almost a full day's patient glazing as I work methodically from left to right in two passes of about 4-5 feet swaths. If all goes well, I oughta be able to finish this stage in two or three more long days and then it's on to what is maybe my favorite glaze...violet. So stay tuned!