WATCH: Mural painting renaissance comes to Pandosy

A typical Western Painted Turtle is about nine inches long. But one spotted along Pandosy Street is well over 10 feet.

However, that one hasn’t finished being painted yet.

“When we had the opportunity to paint a mural in this neighbourhood, my partner and I thought, ‘hey, this would be a great opportunity to paint a painted turtle,’” UBCO Fine Arts Instructor David Doody, told Kelowna10.

“I mean, it’s all built right in the name.”

The latest mural is part of a series David and his wife Jorden have embarked upon, surrounding the theme of sensitive habitats in Kelowna. The pair hope to raise awareness about the impact of development on the environment and to honour a local endangered species.

The subject and location are also nostalgic for David, as it was a big part of his childhood.

“There used to be a lot of marshlands and we used to catch turtles all the time,” he said. “For years, all we would do is spend the entire spring and summer catching turtles.”

The pair were approached to teach mural painting at UBCO following the success of the Uptown Mural Project they held in Rutland.

In the program, nine students over the course of six weeks learn to design a mural and contribute hundreds of hours painting it. The group also goes for walks to identify blank spaces that could theoretically host a mural.

This year’s project is sponsored by the Stober Foundation, and David estimates it will take around 40 pales of high-grade exterior paint to complete.

The mural is guaranteed to last for at least three years, as per the agreement with the building’s owner. But David said the paint should last between 10 to 15 years before any significant changes to the colour.

Before the first paint brush touches the wall, the design is made on a computer. One night, the crew took a projector and cast the design on the wall which allowed them to trace out the design in a ‘paint by numbers’ fashion.

The students earn tickets in operating scissor lifts so they can paint the higher parts of the mural. For weeks, they’ve been meticulously painting within the lines they made, so long it’s not raining.

Jorden, who is co-instructor and facilitator alongside David, said the turtle is already generating buzz.

“It just energizes the community like nothing you’ve ever seen,” she said. “It’s so amazing being on site, on the ground with the students painting. People are stopping by nonstop. They’re so excited.”

With Kelowna seeing more developments, Jorden thinks it will lead to more murals.

“It’s like a full renaissance of painting that’s happening internationally. It’s sweeping every town and it’s so exciting because there are so many buildings that can profit from having a little bit of colour added to them,” she said.

“It’s a really affordable way of including public art in your community and it’s really accessible for everybody.”