A colourful mural splashed across the side of Kamloops Art Party on the North Shore has been a labour of love for the business owner and staff, who hope to see the artwork brighten up the neighbourhood. Carly Schmidt, who owns the art studio located at 177 Tranquille Rd., said she wants to see the North Shore “bright and beautiful.
” “We want to take this passion — and we don't want an angry, grey town. We want a bright, colourful, happy town,” Schmidt said. “Watching the amount of joy that other people have got out of this, like every walk of life, whether you're unhoused or you're living in a mansion, you're getting joy out of this.
” On Wednesday, Sept. 4, cans of paint, ladders, chairs and tents were set up along the west wall of the building where Schmidt and Kamloops Art Party staff were hard at work painting the mural’s animals, trees and flowers. Schmidt said they planned to host loved ones and community members in the parking lot next to the building after the sun went down, with the team planning to work until 2 a.
m. to finish the piece. She said she had started planning for the project two years ago, working on the design and getting the mural approved.
The process of painting the mural took days of work. “The first day I did 12 hours, the second day I was here for 14 hours. Yesterday I was here for 16 hours, today is going to be another 16 hours,” Schmidt said.
She said the women on her team have been “unreal,” working hard in collaboration t.