Strike up the Band

Stratford has a way of producing musicians. Some grew up here, some found their way here, and plenty of them went on to play stages around the world. When the Stratford BIA asked me for a mural about music, I wanted to give as many of them as possible a place on the same wall.

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A few locals rooted in the music scene built the artist list. Justin Bieber, Loreena McKennitt and Richard Manuel share the grooves with the local bands and songwriters who keep the town playing on a Saturday night. Names spiral around a vinyl record, set behind a grand piano, upright bass, guitar and mic stand, all sitting there waiting for someone to count in.

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Downtown Stratford holds onto its history. There’s no neon on the main streets and nothing that looks out of its decade. I wanted the mural to feel like it had always been there, so I reached back for retro lettering and design, and a vintage background that settles in with the brick around it.

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Two weeks were spent on the wall. The surface was so porous it drank the paint, and every coat took patience. Seeing the finished piece, and the response of the locals, has made that worth it.