Like so many artists, when Judy Pohl is creating one of her mammoth murals, it鈥檚 often difficult and distracting to break from her work to chat with the public.
But at this Saturday鈥檚 Arts Alive Festival, the 91原创 City artist looks forward doing just that.
鈥淢y ultimate goal is to get out in the community and meet other business owners, residents, and artists,鈥� said the 35-year-old painter who will be participating in Arts Alive for the five consecutive year.
鈥淲hen I鈥檓 working, I so often have my face in the wall and don鈥檛 get a chance to interact with people,鈥� Pohl elaborated, noting that she鈥檚 also often on the clock for a client and obligated to finish the piece in a timely fashion.
Pohl is a two-dimensional mixed media artist, who likes to produce art on a rather large scale.
Some of her most recent pieces have been murals she鈥檚 painted in downtown 91原创 City.
Although Pohl makes her living painting murals, chalkboards, windows and signs with Judy鈥檚 Custom Art Services, a few months back, she and her oldest daughter Maddie, 14, donated their time to create a bee mural on the side of the old Easingwood building in Salt Lane. [, July 4, 91原创 Advance].
She called it a gift to her community.
The next week, she painted a mural at the entrance to All of Oils on Douglas Crescent. And, at present, she鈥檚 creating a series of four community-themed murals inside Timms Community Centre multi-purpose rooms.
Each of the murals focuses on a different area of the City. One, already finished, is of Brydon Lagoon, while the others are Sendall Gardens, Penzer bike and parkour park, and one of the historic downtown (including Michaud House).
Those murals should be complete part way through September.
But this weekend, with her bee mural as her backdrop, Pohl is taking part in another Arts Alive and tackling another mural. This one for herself.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to be displaying pictures of my previous work, and I have a large mural demo that I will be bringing along and painting throughout the day. It鈥檚 a piece of art I have wanted to paint for myself for a long time, but haven鈥檛 had a chance,鈥� she explained.
It鈥檚 a five-foot-square piece of wood, she鈥檚 hoping to begin this week and finish on the weekend 鈥� during Arts Alive. The goal, she said, is to ultimately hang in her stairwell.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to leave it incomplete, approximately 50 per cent done, so festival-goers can view the process,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all drawn up in my head, but I have nothing on paper or wood yet. It鈥檚 going to be a waterfront scene with a red canoe. We have a canoe that鈥檚 red that we love to spend time in as a family visiting the different lakes around the area.鈥�
Pohl was a stay-at-home mom when she made the leap from a hobbyist to professional artist.
Sure, like many, she鈥檇 studied art in school 鈥� at Rick Hansen Secondary in Abbotsford.
鈥淒uring high school I had a really inspiring teacher that always worked hard to challenge us as individuals,鈥� she recounted.
Pohl even studied art for a year at the University of the Fraser Valley, but much of her artistic skills have been self taught.
The turning point came when she responded to a Craigslist posting.
鈥淚 saw an opportunity to use some of my time to help the family by making some extra money.鈥�
That was 11 years ago now, and she was subsequently asked to paint murals in the bedrooms of each of the family鈥檚 three children. It was a pivotal project for the 91原创 City artist.
鈥淚 love painting murals, I like taking a small concept and turning it into a huge piece of art. It is very gratifying!鈥�
The community seems equally appreciative of her work.
The recent bee mural, as an example, continues to generate public reaction.
鈥淚 have received several emails from community members, including one email was from the granddaughter of the former owner of the building,鈥� Pohl said. 鈥淎nd my daughter always likes seeing pictures pop up on Instagram of people posing in front of the mural.鈥�
Pohl is one of about 140 artists, artisans, and crafters taking part in this weekend鈥檚 Arts Alive Festival, Saturday, Aug. 19 on the one-way section of Fraser Highway, in downtown 91原创 City.
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