A Mountain Mural at Grouse Mountain

Best job yet! Painting + traveling is my dream combination and it actually came true at Grouse Mountain Resort.

Here's the day-by-day progress of my latest mural adventure:

Day 1: Had a beautiful, sunny flight. Warmly picked up at the ferry and up the tram to my amazing cabin. Shown the chalet's wall and introduced to staff. Sorted out a few logistics then visited my grizzly mountain mates:

Flying to Vancouver, I saw the mountains from a higher perspective. 

Airport to train, to ferry, to car, to tram, to... my very own cabin!

Meeting some of the mountain wildlife.

Day 2: Thanks to jet lag, I was up before the café even opened! Started taping up the wall at 7:30am and had all the paint mixed by noon. Layer 1 complete:

Measuring and taping up the wall. 

Mixing the paints to create an even gradient in tones.

Day 3: A steady stream of visitors were coming through after hiking up The Grind. Some commented while others named out the mountains they recognized. Met one of the staff members who had life stories to tell. Layer 2 complete:

Admiring all the people coming through the chalet.

Met Willie, one of the staff standing in front of The Lions,
also known as The Sisters. 

Lots of progress today, only 1 more layer for tomorrow!

Day 4: Finished up the last layer of pine trees and Grouse Mountain's identifier. Patched a couple holes, painted the baseboard and final touch ups. It's finished!

This added detail is called The Cut, indicating Grouse Mountain.

Captured at work from above. (Photo by Ainslie Fincham)

Day 5: Since the mural was painted on time as planned, I spent a day in Vancouver. Sushi in Kitsilano, walk on the beach, saki tasting on Granville Island, boat taxi and the best gluten free pizza I've ever had at Bella Gelateria! Arrived "home" late to catch the last (empty) tram up the mountain:

Enjoyed a perfect day off in Vancouver with my friend Jacqueline.

Without any visitors on board, the tram ride back up the mountain
was eerily dark and silent, while the wind whistled through. 

Day 6: A slow morning to watch my surroundings deeply in a sketch. One last look at the real mountains and then the mountain mural, before I headed off back to the airport:

Savouring one last look at this spectacular view. 

Taking final photos of the completed mural. 

It was so much fun, I want to go back! If you're in BC and would like a mural for your home or business, email me here. Let's make it happen!

Let's make more murals!