Renfrew Community Association South Patio Wall Mural Community-Initiated Microgrant 2021 The Project With a theme of whimsy, joy, beauty and hope, artist Billie Rae Busby created a mural in her signature abstract landscape style. Busby developed her design by interviewing staff at the nearby Stanley Jones School (an important landmark in the community) and collecting pictures from community members, via a social media callout, to inspire the mural. She created three sketches for the Renfrew Community Association board to vote on. The final palette featured nine colours, including a sand and navy blue as an ode to the Stanley Jones School’s sandstone exterior and its longtime school team colour. The 2021 Community-Run Microgrant This project was funded as part of the 2021 Community-Run Microgrant. Calgary Arts Development invited proposals for community-initiated public art projects in 2021. Community groups could apply for up to $10,000 from a total funding pool of $100,000, to hire local artists for eligible projects. Funding for this one-time program was provided through the Government of Alberta and The City of Calgary. Learn more here. Title: Renfrew Community Association South Patio Wall Mural Project Completion: 2022 Medium: Mural Location: Renfrew Community Hall south patio, 811 Radford Rd. NE About the Artist Billie Rae Busby is a Calgary-based artist. She experiences a paradoxical attraction for both rural and urban scapes. She is stirred by the sharp, significant lines that construct both places. Her quest is to find balance in the void of the solitude in nature, and the visual complexity of the modern city. By using a hard-edge painting technique, her abstract landscapes depict wonder and possibility, along with movement, mood and memory.
