Downtown gets a makeover, one brushstroke at a Time

Downtown Fort St. John has been getting a little brighter lately, thanks to the steady work of a local artist Francine Freeman who has a knack for turning blank spaces into something worth stopping to look at.

From splashes of colour to detailed designs, Francine Freeman’s creations are giving familiar streets a fresh spark in the North Peace.

“Since starting my journey in Fort St. John creating murals, the most memorable moment would definitely be the 40’ x 9‘sea can at the North Peace Arena. We had just been evacuated from Fort Nelson due to a wildfire and were feeling very displaced. I wanted to give my students that I work with, as well as the community living out of hotels and campgrounds something to do during the evacuation,” said Freeman.

“What started as a scary uplift of our lives, ended with a bunch of us getting together and just painting whatever we wanted on this landscape mural. We got a chance to leave our mark on Fort St. John, as well as give a beautiful public art display to the community that gave so much to us during the evacuation.”

Freeman has created the Parker Lake Wildfire mural on a Seacan in Fort St. John, a series of 6 concrete barrier murals at the Fieldhouse Arena, and a series of 12 concrete barrier murals in the heart of downtown.

“One of my favorite parts about creating murals other than brightening spaces, is the feedback that I get from the community as they stop by to say hi, ask questions, or just a simple great job! I love it! Most people don’t realize how much it actually means to have affirmation from others. I was actually just talking to someone who stopped by yesterday and she said “it’s just incredible how you just pull this together”  “I said thanks, that means a lot because I still get nervous before I start or when I’m doing a new design, because I just want it to look good,” said Freeman.

“But usually when it gets started, everything falls into place and sometimes I even surprise myself. I have pride in what I’ve created and it’s cool to pass by and say hey I did that.  Also the other day a guy came up to me and handed me an orange and said “orange you an amazing artist.” I thought that was awesome and it really made my day. Even the small things people say can make the difference in someone’s day.”

Freeman began her arts career creating hyper realistic paintings in Mississauga, Ontario, as a way to relive moments and to share her memories.

She completed the three-year Advanced Art Fundamentals Program while attending the Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, and completed her Masters in Visual Arts at Grifffith University in Australia.

She plans to continue creating public displays, installations and murals to brighten the everyday routes while inspiring youth to be involved in and have a positive view/respect on public art according to her website.

“Advice I would give aspiring artists of the region is don’t undervalue yourself/be undervalued and opportunities don’t just fall in your lap. You need to push for them. You need to be bold, be confident in yourself, even though it makes you scared to try new things sometimes. Like I said before I still get nervous, but every opportunity I’ve worked for has shaped who I am and made me more confident in myself, made me a better artist. Also don’t be afraid to reach out to other artists, including myself if you ever need advice, support on a project or just a pick me up.”

Public art provides personality for small towns which cannot be purchased or constructed quickly. It allows residents to identify their own narratives, colours, and pride in the streets they walk every day.

Supporting local artists keeps talent and culture flourishing in the area. It helps to ensure the community’s stories, landscapes, and traditions are being recorded by those who know them best.

“The challenges I’ve faced as an artist in a smaller northern community are usually financial. Grants are usually relied on for community artistic projects and the arts has been historically underfunded. Grants can be a lengthy process to apply to and take up to six months to receive, so the project has to be very well thought out. Not everyone can afford a mural, and depending on the mural they’re not cheap, because we don’t want to undervalue ourselves as artists nor should we need to be undervalued,” said Freeman.

“If you spend one day with me, you’ll see the impact public art makes to those who pass by and you’ll too see how valuable it is to the community. Another challenge we face is the weather. If it’s an outdoor mural, you have a small block of time that’s broken up by rain, extreme heat, and even the occasional evacuation.”

The downtown area is evolving and as it does, our local artists demonstrate that art isn’t meant to be contained to a gallery. Art is meant to exist among us. Every stroke and splash of bright colour is evidence that small communities can be just as dynamic and awe-inspiring as any other, when we make the decision to support the people who bring that dream to life.00