Narrowing down Humboldt into one theme was difficult for the Humboldt Mural Committee.
This was their task from the Canada 150 Mural team, says Humboldt and District Museum Director, Jennifer Hoesgen.
“They had very long and numerous thoughtful conversations about what is Humboldt’s one theme. (They) really struggled with that.”
Potash and mining, agriculture and different crop growth, manufacturing, hockey, arts and culture, immigration, religion, so many things make up Humboldt that it was a difficult process, says Hoesgen.
This is the conclusion that everyone on the committee came to on their own.
“Nobody came to that meeting pushing an agenda, pushing one thing over another because these are community people who really want to make sure that, that mural is inclusive.”
What they did conclude was that Humboldt is about the people who make the community, says Hoesgen.
Dr. Zygmont Kondzielewski is part of the mural committee and says they wanted the people holding up the Humboldt letters.
That concept did not really work with the design.
“We wanted to have people involved; male, female, cross-cultural, youth, senior, and represent everyone that way.” Says Hosegen.
It was the designer that simplified it a lot because it is easier to fill in the little details later, says Kondzielewski.
“These little four by four inch paintings that go in there really have nothing to do with the main part of the mural.”
Anybody can paint a tile with what they think Humboldt and area means, says Kondzielewski, they just have to follow a colour scheme.
“Although the overall design looks simplistic, you have to visualize it as how the murals going to appear.” Says Hoesgen.
The Mural committee was advised to look at the complete murals that some communities have already finished.
Vegreville, Ab (http://canada150mosaic.com/murals/vegreville.html) has a very similar, simplistic concept. After it was completed, it took all kinds of little ideas and themes to make up the mural, says Hoesgen.
“It’s very similar to how Humboldt is built. It’s many different voices, and many different ideas. All of that comes together to build community.”
Workshops and drop in times during the Summer Sizzler on Jun. 17-18 have already been set up for the public to go in and paint one of the 750 tiles that are going to make up the mural.
The mural will go on the side of the Sasktel building on Main Street.
