Page 308 - YGARTUA : The Work Of A Genius

PAUL YGARTUA’S FIRST MURAL PAINTED IN 1983, . When Karl Schutz saw the TV interview and the big native face, he

CHEMAINUS, BC knew Paul was the artist to do this mural that would be dedicated
to the local Natives and the First People of Canada. He would

build the wall in the center of town. It would be a monumental
centrepiece, in homage to our Native people, with a park in front
and it would be the first mural you see when you enter the town of

Chemainus.Karl’s idea for Paul would be the creation of the Native
Heritage. A mural that would depict the first native policeman of

Chemainus, Chief Chemainus, a Salish Woman and Mrs. Rice, in
the upper right hand corner. The wall would be 15.4 meters long
by 5.2 meters high.

So, with no experience Paul looked at the project, and said to Karl:

“OK, get the material to me and I will do you a small sketch just to
give you an idea where I am going to place the three natives faces,

the poles and Mrs. Rice.”

Paul was fearless when he approached that wall in April 1983.
They were due to arrive at the mural wall at 8am and they arrived

In 1982, Paul and Joanne were doing a show at the Nat Bailey on the dot as Paul is always very punctual. The first thing Karl
Stadium in Vancouver. Paul had his Native Faces there and a TV Schutz asked for was Paul’s grid (which is what muralists use to

crew came up and asked to do an interview with him. scale their artwork). This is squared off, so the artist will have a
guide for the layout of the mural. So when Paul said he didn’t work

Karl Schutz, the creator of the Chemainus Murals saw this TV that way, (and remember he had never done a mural before, this
interview that same day. The next morning he called them up from was his first one) it was quite appropriate for Karl to get upset and

Chemainus and told them about his mural project. He said he had not understand what was going on. Most artists would spend days
an interesting offer for Paul involving his native work. The town preparing and working on their scale to make sure everything was
of Chemainus, originally one of the largest sawmills in the world, perfect. Karl said: “Paul,this is very important, your mural, it has

MacMillan and Bloedell, had closed down, and he believed they to be right” and as there was no more to be said he nervously left
needed to come up with an idea to save the town of Chemainus. him to it.

The Murals would highlight the history of the town from its early Paul just eyed the wall up and down, crossed the street, drew one
beginning water wheel driven mill to one of the largest sawmills eye in the center of this enormous wall, Chief Chemainus, then

in the world. He believed the story of Chemainus told through the he crossed back over to the other side of the street, and said to
murals would attract tourists worldwide. He searched for the best her: “That’s it”. 7 days later, he finished the Native Heritage, his first

mural artists that he could find. mural, freehand with no scale, no planning and no experience!
Native Heritage
(Excerpt from the book: The Chemainus Murals)
NATIVE HERITAGE, 1983 MURAL CHEMAINUS B.C. CANADA 50X20 FT. | 15.4X5.2 M.

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