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9.75M x 4.88M (32’ x 16’), MILL STREET
The Lumber Barons
Painted in 1992
by Constance Greig-Manning,
assisted by Bill Manning,
Kenilworth, Ontario
(now residing in Chemainus)
The Artist
As an artist used to working big (many of her canvases are nearly mural size), Constance Greig-Manning was thrilled by her first mural experience. Working out in the open air, collaborating with her husband as her assistant and meeting and talking with innumerable passers-by opened a new and exciting artistic realm for her.
Constance now lives and works here in Chemainus, with husband and artist Bill Manning. She has been painting ever since she was a child, and was encouraged to become an artist in high school. She followed up with studies in experimental art at the University of Calgary.
Since then, Greig-Manning has moved back towards a more traditional artistic style, and is recognized for her expertise in portraiture. The challenge for her in the Lumber Barons, was “to find a balance between two very strong personalities, and a number of two and three dimensional elements on a wall interrupted by three windows and a door!”
The Art
The deep blues and purples of the sea and mountains on the left flank the solemn portrait of Mill Manager John Humbird, who in 1924 oversaw the building of the fourth Chemainus mill, one of the largest of its kind in the world. The mural symbolizes the rivalry and relationship between Humbird and another powerful character in Chemainus history, H.R. MacMillan. The lumber baron, whose company in the early 1940’s purchased the huge fourth mill pictured in the mural, appears at the centre of the painting.
After the takeover of the mill, the word “Manufacturing” was dropped from the name, and it became simply the Victoria Lumber Co. The closed door below MacMillan represents the mill office door, behind which took place much of the history of the mill’s success over the years. The mural is bordered on the right by images of both the wealth of the natural forest and the richness of its harvest, the wood products which made many fortunes.
© Chemainus Festival Of Murals 2008
The Little Town That Did!
“Obviously, Chemainus, B.C., no matter how small it is, has things like imagination and foresight
and a willingness on the part of its residents and community leaders to get behind daring
and adventurous initiatives.”
Author and historian, Pierre Berton
From just five murals and lots of spirit in the summer of 1982, Chemainus has struggled, grown and succeeded in literally putting itself on the map. In 1983, it won the prestigious New York Downtown Revitalization Award for its redevelopment of the town core. It has since gained world-wide acclaim for the integrity and superb artistry of its huge depictions of the town’s history.
Forty larger-than-life historic paintings in this open air gallery now greet the gaze of thousands of visitors each year. Chemainus thrives as a result, but it remains a small town, with just over 4,500 residents. These welcoming people still dish out island hospitality, along with ice cream and afternoon tea and scones just as they always have. Chemainus really is “The Little Town That Did”©.
The coastal community of Chemainus has a rich and varied history. Beginning thousands of years ago with the Coast Salish Native people, that history has flourished through a century and a half of industry and labour. With a mild climate and a great abundance of natural resources, the surrounding area became home to many hardworking settlers. Side by side, these people hewed a town of substance from the majestic forests.
These same forests have provided the lifeblood of the entire valley for more than a century, but to Chemainus, this has sometimes been a painful reality.
In 1981 the town of Chemainus benefited from a province wide redevelopment fund, and initiated a downtown revitalization project to give a face lift to a tired-looking main street. Planters overflowing with fresh flowers, new benches, improved public spaces and better parking facilities, all resulted from this initial project. Suddenly though, the town faced much graver problems than a lack of fresh paint along its thoroughfares. After more than 120 years the mill shut down in 1983.
Without waiting to hear if the mill would reopen, residents rallied to hold on to the roots they had established here. They continued the beautification of the central core. But more was to come. With the remarkable energy and creative vision of resident and businessman Karl Schutz, and the committed support of the then mayor Graham Bruce and the municipal council, the Festival of Murals Society was born. The painting of murals on some of the outside walls of local buildings was the Municipality of North Cowichan’s colourful investment in a livelier looking village.
Those early years of redevelopment now seem a part of history, too. More than a quarter of a million dollars has been invested in the mural project by private, corporate, federal, provincial and municipal investors. As a direct result, Chemainus has attracted in excess of one hundred new businesses, 350-450,000 visitors a year and a $3.5 million dinner theatre. From a dependence on a single industry, it has broadened its economic base to offer a range of service and tourist related activities. To everyone’s relief, the mill was rebuilt and modernized, and reopened in 1985. By that time, residents and visitors alike felt that they had proven they could survive the worst of times through their spirit and determination.
The town now has a new look. It is one that is reminiscent of past glories, and the result is a pleasing mixture of Victorian and frontier design, with a real down home feel. Chemainus welcomes you to a feast for all the senses. Come and taste the magic! You’ll never experience history quite like this again.