Page 312 - YGARTUA : The Work Of A Genius

ICONS AND THE RECORD BREAKERS OF THE MILLENNIUM famous faces. We can all learn from their achievements, and from
their mistakes.” Scott commissioned the colorful mural in 2000 as

Artist Paul Ygartua created the main wall of Surrey’s most prominent a millennium project saluting a constellation of “legends” including
mural with a single brush, one with three inches of bristle. By the end, Princess Diana, Walt Disney, Martin Luther King Jr., Terry Fox, Billie

it was about a half inch,” Ygartua recalled of the tool, well used in Jean King and other trailblazers of the world. Ygartua worked several
his work to paint the 31 faces on two exterior walls of Beachcomber months to complete the mural, at the time considered the world’s

Hot Tubs’ building in Newton. largest painted freehand by one person, on a “canvas” measuring
390 ft by 24 meters.

“I even have a photograph of me holding the brush at the end,” the
muralist added. “We even thought of going to the paint company, “I spent the first month or so, a few weeks, just drawing it,” recalled

showing them the brush saying, ‘This would be great advertising for the Vancouver-based artist in a phone call. “I didn’t put any color in
you.” Full of famous faces, the giant mural can’t be missed on the until a couple of months later, simply because I had to go to Europe

corner of 132 Street and Comber Way. for an exhibition. We had to leave, so when we came back I started
painting them. The first face that was finished was Chief Dan George,

School kids and business groups come to view it on tours, and others and then I worked along the wall that way, you know.”
just stand in awe. “ The painting is here for all to admire and enjoy,”

business owner Keith Scott has said, “but most of all, to be inspired This is the largest mural of its kind in the world. Commissioned by
and challenged by the accomplishments and dreams of these Keith and Judy Scott for the new millennium in the year 2000, it was

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