New mural in Kentville ‘a whimsical nod to the past’
If one small picture is worth a thousand words, the new mural in Kentville must be worth millions.
The painting is displayed on the wall of D.M. Reid Jewellers facing Centre Square, which is featured prominently during the town’s farmers market, Apple Blossom Festival, multicultural fair and other community events.
Artist Miyoshi Kondo created the mural, measuring eight feet by ten feet, to depict Kentville’s past and present, showcasing buildings that once existed in Kentville and current ones, too.
“The general concept for the mural is the history and development of a town, in this case Kentville, represented by the changing architecture. It is a whimsical nod to the past, present and future,” he said in a release.
After it was approached by the Hardware Gallery’s board of directors, the Kentville Business Community has moved to include murals in the façade updates eligible for funding, which provides 50 per cent of the mural’s creation cost.
Dave Reid has become the first business owner to commission a mural through this program, and hand chose Kondo himself. A business owner for 30 years, he said the mural captures why celebrating the town’s roots is essential.
“I feel it is extremely important to both remember and preserve our past as much as possible. This mural also shows the present and alludes to future growth and prosperity. Hopefully this is one of many murals that we’ll see in the near future,” he said in a release.
The gallery unveiled the mural Oct. 6 as part of Harvest Festival activities.
It has also extended hopes that other businesses will partner with local artists like Kondo to take advantage of the funding program and help brighten up businesses in Kentville.