Monday Murals -- Leonard Cohen

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

I have not seen this mural in person 

because it is found in downtown Montreal,

but I am a huge Leonard Cohen fan,

so I am posting an internet photo of it.

Leonard Cohen (1934 - 2016) was a Canadian

poet and singer-songwriter beloved around the world.

One of Montreal's favourite sons, the city honoured him

in 2017 with this 22-storey, illuminated landmark

mural done by El Mac and Gene Pendon.

I love how the mural depicts the soft glow of his heart chakra

through the fingers of his hand placed upon it.

This so accurately captures his love for humanity,

his compassion for and understanding of our foibles

and weaknesses, his spirituality, and his inner guiding light.

The mural is entitled "Tower of Songs"

as an homage to that song and his work as a whole --

Monday Murals -- Adventure Awaits!

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

This mural by an unidentified artist is located

inside Edmonton's Kingsway Mall.

An androgynous young adventurer is opening a portal

in the time-space continuum and is about to go

on a grand adventure -- who knows where?

And of course, every adventurer needs

a companion on the journey!

[Photographs © Debra She Who Seeks, 2026]

Monday Murals -- GO OILERS GO!

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

Well, this is a kind of mural, isn't it,

even if it's made out of soft drink boxes?

I took this photo at my local

Save-On Foods grocery store.

The team colours of our

Edmonton Oilers hockey club

are blue and orange. The 2-month

long playoffs road for a chance to win

the 2026 Stanley Cup has just started.

Speaking of Save-On Foods, that's where

I also spotted the following on a poster display

a couple of years ago during another playoffs run --

An Oilers Prayer

Our Father, who art in Edmonton,

Hockey be thy name.

Thy will be done, the Cup be won

On ice, as well as in the stands.

Give us this day our hockey sticks

And forgive us our penalties,

As we forgive those who cross-check against us.

Lead us not into elimination,

But deliver us to victory.

In the name of the Fans,

Lord Stanley, and the Holy Oilers.

Amen.

[Photo © Debra She Who Seeks, 2026]

Monday Murals -- "Fun Keeps You Young"

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

This colourful community mural is painted

on a wall in the main lobby of the

North Edmonton Seniors Association (NESA),

one of the places I go to attend art lessons

and other classes/activities for seniors.

This mural forms the basis for NESA's logo --

There are half a dozen seniors recreation centres in

various Edmonton neighbourhoods, designed to promote

health, wellness, community, and fun activities

for our city's diverse populations as we age.

[Photo #1 © Debra She Who Seeks, 2026;

Image #2 from the NESA website]

Monday Murals -- A Deeper Perspective

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

This beautiful mural called A Deeper Perspective

is painted on a wall inside Edmonton's Kingsway Mall.

Its creator is Ashley Rosenow of Illustrious Interiors.

She is an Edmonton artist and international muralist.

The hands of the Divine Feminine reach out across the universe

to bless our Earth and our galaxy. Her hands and arms are inscribed

with positive thoughts, dreams and wishes such as:

Joy

Unity

World Peace

Save Ukraine

All We Have Is Now

Bee Happy

All the inscribed words were inspired by the comments

of passersby as Ashley Rosenow (pictured below) painted this mural.

[Photo #1 © Debra She Who Seeks, 2026;

Photo #2 is from the artist's website]

Monday Murals -- Fringe Festival Jester

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

This colourful Jester is the logo of the

Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival,

North America's oldest and largest

annual festival of alternative theatre.

This indoor mural is a large donor recognition wall

located in the Old Strathcona Arts Barns

in the neighbourhood where the

Fringe Festival occurs every August.

I have "fringed" for many years and it's a fun time!

[Photo © Debra She Who Seeks, 2012]

Monday Murals -- Round Dance of Hope

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

This mural depicting an indigenous round dance contains

images of the sacred medicine wheel and an eagle feather.

Drummers provide the rhythmic heartbeat for the dance of life.

This mural is located on a building in Edmonton's inner city

which is an area populated by our urban poor and homeless.

It was painted by local artist Kris Friesen. The mural honours

Hope Hunter, the founder of Boyle Street Community Services,

an Edmonton agency providing programs and services

to those who are marginalized.

[Photo © Debra She Who Seeks 2012]

Monday Murals -- Chinatown Chicken

I'm taking part today in 

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

We saw this great chicken mural in

Vancouver's Chinatown while we were

visiting British Columbia in August, 2019.

Unfortunately, I don't know the artist's identity.

But that chicken is a STAR!

* * * * *  UPDATE * * * * * 

Here's what the mural is all about!

(Thanks, Tom, for your awesome research)

"Freebird is an Asian-style rotisserie chicken shack.

We serve flavourful free-range, hormone-free chickens with tasty sides. 

Freebird is the newest addition to award-winner

Chef Angus An’s culinary adventures."

Unfortunately, this Vancouver restaurant appears to have

closed during Covid and never reopened.

Monday Murals -- Ephemeral Murals: RENEWAL

I'm taking part today in Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

Mae Travels of Mae's Food Blog perceptively commented on my last week's post about a painted-over mural that "murals . . .  are destined to be replaced. Surely the artists know that this is an ephemeral work, and that exposure to the elements will efface the work even if no one paints over them or tears down the wall where they are painted."

Coincidentally, this week I'm posting about the ULTIMATE in ephemeral murals!

In February, the American artist David Popa (now based in Finland) created three huge, ephemeral murals on and beside frozen lakes and rivers here in my province of Alberta, Canada. He is known for creating such nature-based works of art which remain only until they are reclaimed by the land, water and elements. Once gone, his murals live on only in photos, prints, and videos.

His Alberta series is entitled RENEWAL. Working in frigid temperatures, Popa painted these images in two days using charcoal and chalk in household garden sprayers. The murals lasted for one day after completion before being dispersed by the strong winds.

Here is David Popa at work on one of them --

These photos are from an article by Sarah Barnes, Massive Land Murals Portray Portraiture on the Frigid Canadian Landscape, found here.

Plus, if you're interested and have 7 minutes to spare, here's an excellent interview with David Popa about his experience creating these frozen Alberta murals --

Monday Murals -- Mysterious Geisha

I'm taking part today in

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

This beautiful and mysterious geisha was painted on a

commercial building in my city of Edmonton, Alberta.

I took this photo quite a few years ago. Alas, she has

since been painted over and no longer exists.

With her intense gaze focused on us, is she the one who

controls "Love & Longevity"? I believe that is

the Red String of Fate wound about her wrist and hand.

Unfortunately, I did not make note of the artist's name.

It's possible the name appears in the large graffiti tag

at the bottom of the mural, but I can't really decipher it

(does it say "Glitz Crew" perhaps?)

Anyway, I miss seeing this mural. It was a favourite of mine.

[Photo © Debra She Who Seeks, 2012]

Monday Murals -- Homage to Curling

I'm taking part today in

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

In honour of the Gold Medal in Men's Curling

and the Bronze Medal in Women's Curling won

by Canada in the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics --

Here's a mural celebrating curling that is painted

on the Jasper Place Curling Club in

my city of Edmonton, Alberta.

It was created by local artist Jill Stanton.

[Photo from the internet]

The mural depicts the evolution of curling brooms

from the sport's original corn brooms

up to today's modern push brooms.

[Closeup photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2022]

Monday Murals -- Let's Drum!

I'm taking part today in

Monday Murals hosted by Sami.

I took this photo in April, 2012 at the 

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine in Japan,

which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It was a temporary mural on a wooden hoarding

built to hide some construction/restoration work

going on behind it.

I'm a fan of Japanese taiko drumming

and of course, as a Canadian, I'm also

drawn to any depiction of maple leaves!

[Photo © Debra She Who Seeks, 2012]