The official launch of the mural

The beginning of the mural officially was a very exciting occasion. Serge Malenfant and the city of Sherbrooke staged a packed house media launch to announce the project and how it would unfold.

The project is very much bilingual. TRULY CANADIAN! Lewis Lavoie, Paul Lavoie and myself are all from French roots. I have many relatives in Quebec. So this project is a return to our roots. I wish I was able to write fluently en francais but unfortunately I do not have that ability. But thankfully Serge - who is fluent in both languages - is truly the key unifying piece of the mural.

This was evident at the launch as he was able to translate to all the media and VIP guests from the Sherbrooke region how Quebec would unite Canada through art in one of the most unique mural projects in the world.

Crowds gathering at the media launch

Serge Malenfant from MURIRS explaining the project

Lewis Lavoie painting the first tile of the mural as photgraphers snap away.

As reporters interviewed Lewis and Serge their were many questions and jaw dropping moments as reporters had an incredibly tough time understanding how a mural could be created by hundreds of artists who don't know each other, do not speak the same language, would all paint their own individual painting, yet together create a much larger unified image.

 

There was plenty of head shaking and bewilderment. But nevertheless the project began...and here is the first official painting- THE SPORTS VOYAGEURS by Lewis Lavoie...making the TREK to Sherbrooke for the 2013 Games!

 

And the mural was officially started!! Here we go!