New mural to be painted at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home

A rendering of the mural that will be painted at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home is at right. Amherstburg artist Dylan White will paint the mural starting Aug. 4, weather permitting.

A large mural will be painted on a wall at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home for residents and visitors to enjoy.

“The Journey of Life” will be painted by Amherstburg artist Dylan White with work scheduled to begin Aug. 4, weather permitting. Melissa Cranston, director of programs and support services with Richmond Terrace, said funding came thanks to a private donor who has since passed away.

“We received a generous donation from a past resident’s family member,” said Cranston. “We’re really grateful.”

The donor was creative and artistic, she said, and Richmond Terrace wanted to reflect that in the mural.

“It was important we honour this person in a meaningful way,” said Cranston. “She was very creative and had a love for the arts.”

Staff and Richmond Terrace worked with White and came up with a design that worked for everyone. 

“It’s the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next,” Cranston said, of the design.

The older hands represent a lifetime of experience, memories and wisdom with the younger set of hands representing the next generation ready to receive what has been learned. A pocket watch on the mural depicts a moment in time where the older generation hands down knowledge to the younger generation. 

The mural also features a caterpillar and butterfly with that included to show different stages of life, constant change and symbolizing that one stage of life leads to another.

The mural will be 17-feet wide and 35-feet tall and be featured in a courtyard area of the home.

“We wanted something that was going to beautify our home,” said Cranston.

After clearing it with the home’s owners, Omni Quality Living, Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home had to get approval from the town’s heritage committee, which was received a few weeks ago.

The residents and families were then made aware of the mural and responses have been positive, she said.

“There has been an overwhelmingly warm response to it,” she said.

The painting of the mural should take from one to two weeks, Cranston added, depending on the weather. A ribbon cutting will be held in the future at a yet-to-be-determined date.

New mural to be painted at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home

By Ron Giofu