Paint the Rails
Conversations on colonization, reclamation and reconciliation through art.
Paint the Rails (PTR), in collaboration with Edmonton Transit Service, transformed public spaces through public art, community engagement and a celebration of local history.
As a legacy project of Canada 150+, PTR was a commitment to bring to life the stories of Edmonton’s diverse cultural communities through art and education. The artwork was inspired by community; artists, elders, knowledge keepers, historians, members of Edmonton’s diverse cultural communities, and other stakeholders, together guiding the stories and inspiring the artwork.
PTR has unveiled five murals, Returning Home (Churchill LRT), The River (University LRT), Strong as a Forest (Corona LRT), Stories the Weave Us (Kingsway Transit Centre), and Fabric of the City (Clareview LRT); each inspired by participation of elders, their teachings and community perspectives.
You can see the full playlist of our engagement sessions and unveiling of the murals on our YouTube channel.
Classroom Resources: Book and Teacher Resource
In order to share the stories from the murals and fill the gap in resources for teachers on history and diversity, we created two supplementary resources. The Paint the Rails book was created so each page would be a unique opportunity to learn important points about Edmonton’s diverse stories of settlement. While the book in and of itself is a beautiful teaching tool, there is also a supplementary online teacher resources providing other entry points of learning with students contributing to equity, inclusion, acceptance and anti-racism. These resources contribute to a local conversation that proudly embraces resilience, cultural diversity, and common connections; while not shying away from the injustice and truths of our past, which still reverberate today.
Hard copies of the book are available for $25.00 each. Please inquire by emailing info@jhcentre.org
View the full murals virtually on your device by clicking on the murals below! Or download and use the augmented reality app below to get the full meaning behind each mural and see how the murals ‘come alive.’
If you’d like to check out these murals in person, linked is a map of where to find them.
Augmented Reality App
Right now, technology is one of the tools that is helping us stay connected and informed. We are excited to be bringing the Paint the Rails murals to life through augmented reality. On June 2021 we launched a free, downloadable Paint the Rails app which will encourage viewer participation and further learning about our rich local history.
Human Library
In September 2022, as part of Alberta Culture Days, we teamed up with seven community leaders and members to create online spaces for school classrooms and members of the public to engage in one hour conversations based on culture and historical content. These conversations built on the community stories shared in the Paint the Rails project, giving a physical voice to these stories. These conversations continue to be a fantastic resource engaging students in learning about history, diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism through recordings linked here.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Paint the Rails’ unique mentorship approach means that we are building skills, confidence and supports with established and emerging artists along the way. Meet our dedicated team!
Carla Rae Taylor
Co-Lead Artist
Carla Rae Taylor (formerly Gilday) was born in St. Albert, AB and raised in Yellowknife, NT. She is of both Dene and Irish/French heritage. Having spent much of her youth and young adulthood close to nature, she learned to listen deeply and be in touch with intuition and creativity. Both the natural world and the dream world have inspired the creations within the borders of her paintings.
Dana Belcourt
Mentored Artist
Dana Justine Belcourt is a twenty-three year-old Métis/Cree artist from Amiskwaciy Waskahikan. Through paintings, zines, and media-based art forms, her work showcases an intensive writing practice that deals with intimacy, relationships, love, and being someone of mixed Indigenous ancestry. Their main focus is producing and self-publishing zines featuring poetry and mixed-media art. Another focus is painting murals showcasing experiences and stories, and has so far collaborated on eight murals. They are currently working towards completing a BFA at Emily Carr University.
AJA Louden
Co-Lead Artist
AJA Louden (AJA sounds like 'Ajay', short for Adrian Joseph Alexander) is a artist based in Edmonton, Canada. Born to a family tree with roots split between Jamaica and Canada, Louden is a child of contrast. Bold and arresting freehand spray-painted portraits of figures from Jimi Hendrix and Richard Nixon to local heroes often alternate with hand-lettered designs and vibrant patterns borne of a background in graffiti. Louden looks to bring a multifaceted, collaborative, and multi-narrative approach to contemporary urban muralism.
“THE GOAL IS MAKING CITIES AND SPACES MORE INSPIRING, ENGAGING, INFORMED AND THOUGHTFUL THROUGH STRATEGIC AND COMPASSIONATE USE OF ART AND DESIGN. ” AJA Louden
Matthew Cardinal
Mentored Artist
Multidisciplinary artist Matthew Cardinal sees art as a home - a comfortable place to escape to, drift away in, and a place to release stress and tension. Originally from John D’Or prairie in Alberta, Cardinal’s jovial, optimistic demeanor can often be found in his poetry, drawings, paintings, and music.
