Editor:
Has everyone seen Dean Schutz’s murals on the walls of the public washrooms near Friendship Park in Sechelt? What a concept! They’re just utterly amazing – colourful, witty, intriguing, beautiful. Are plans being made to showcase these in our tourist material? People will love them.
On the east wall, inspired by French impressionist George Seurat, there appears to be a Sunday afternoon in a park at Sechelt. Replacing Seurat’s 19th century Parisians are Sunshine Coasters from our past and present relaxing on a summer day – several fishermen, mother and child strolling, a folk singer with guitar, a logger, a farmer, RCMP officers, two seniors in their respective scooter and walker chatting, people reading, an aging hippie in a tie-dyed T-shirt lying on the grass, kayakers, even Sechelt’s two famous pioneer sisters with their rifles. There are dogs, a sheep and a bear. In the harbour are different ocean-going vessels past and present – a freighter, a fish boat, a dragon boat. Hazy impressions of Sechelt buildings line the far shore. On the washroom’s north wall is a First Nation scene with log buildings, a mother and child weaving, a carver actually appearing to carve the stone statue that’s now in the Band’s museum, and an Elder couple serenely walking their dog. On the south wall there are bathers, sort of like those in Seurat’s painting of Bathers at Asnières – kids playing around in the water, and adults, including a mermaid with her dog, resting on the grass.
This isn’t everything. I look at them a couple of times a week, and still find things I missed. Schutz was commissioned by the District of Sechelt to paint these for our 30th anniversary. We got our money’s worth.
Gene Errington, Sechelt
