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Haida artist Derek Edenshaw helps Rupert spruce up city

A giant kraken, painted by local artists under Edenshaw’s tutelage, is now on display
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Derek Edenshaw, a Haida multi-media artist, travelled to Prince Rupert to help spruce up the city.

A giant kraken attacking a ship is now on display on Third Ave., at Prince Rupert’s antique store The Argosy.

Edenshaw, who has been “involved in the Haida culture his entire life and has being doing Haida art for the past decade,” painted a thunderbird in the clouds to go with the mural.

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The mural was unveiled Friday, June 28, painted by local artists under the guidance of experts from Vancouver, including Edenshaw who now lives there.

The Paint the Town mural program was initiated by Transition Prince Rupert in partnership with Ecotrust Canada and Redesign Rupert to spruce up the city’s aesthetics and build local capacity.

Edenshaw, as well as artists from a Vancouver-based group called Nomadic Alternatives passed on their artistic wisdom to eight local artists in hopes of creating momentum in the city so more projects like Paint the Town can continue.

“We liked the idea of building capacity in the community for art and making public spaces more exciting,” said Veronika Stewart, president of Transition Prince Rupert, a community group that aims to create a sustainable city.

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“We are really happy with the success of the project and we have four more planned. We hope to make it a recurring event.”

Transition Prince Rupert is looking to partner with School District 52 to put up some murals on their schools and has two requests for proposals for the Nisga’a Hall and Lax Kw’alaams building.

“It really was a team effort in terms of both volunteers locally in the community and sponsorships. It’s about making the community more resilient and sustainable,” said Stewart.


Jenna Cocullo | Journalist
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Derek Edenshaw, Haida/Cree multi-media artist, painting part of the kracken mural up at the Argosy. (Jenna Cocullo / The Northern View)
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A giant kraken attacks a ship on Prince Rupert’s latest mural, which was officially displayed at the Argosy, on Third Ave., June 28, 2019. (Jenna Cocullo / The Northern View)