As Durham Region continues to see decreasing numbers of COVID-19, various forms of praise for front-line workers continue to pop up.
The latest is a mural art in downtown Oshawa, created by local artist Chad Tyson.
“When I came down to the spot, I just decided … I have to do something that really gets everybody’s attention,” Tyson said.
It’s been up for two weeks and has caught the attention of people driving and walking through the area.
“It’s perfect and it’s a very nice spot,” says Yvonne who pulled her car over to take a picture. “It’s very noticeable down there.”
The artwork was commissioned by BIG Renovations and Design, local developer. A unique design has been painted on wood panels that have been placed along several storefronts for a renovation project.
One side depicts an essential worker with a colourful mask — along with a message of thanks for a number of different front-line workers.
“There are people that don’t get thanked,” Tyson said.
“You have Tim Hortons staff, security guards, maintenance workers, everyone who has had to work throughout this pandemic,” he added.
Across half the mural, Tyson goes on to thank nurses, farmers, daycare workers and a range of other people.
“I think it was important to show people that we do care,” Tyson said,
On the other half, you can see flowers, messages of inspiration and a blue jay.
The artist owns The Paint Factory in Oshawa, a local graphic design company that specializes in graffitti art and murals. He says he started the business because of his eight-year-old daughter. Tyson says he draws inspiration from her for his work.
“I talked to her about all the things that she loves,” he told Global News. “She said butterflies and a tire swing and stuff like that. It’s just who my daughter is.”
If you drive through the downtown, you’ll see a number of his pieces as well, where he was hired to help revitalize what would normally be a red brick wall. One wall beside the The Vape Store simply states, “Life is Beautiful.”
Another along Simcoe Street shows a bird and flowers, helping give some light to what would usually be a dark alleyway.
His current project was a collaboration with BIG, who has been working on a number of local projects, aiming to transform the landscape of the downtown.
“Oshawa certainly needed a little bit of bright excitement to get behind,” said Alexis Kofman, national director for the company. “Chad was the perfect person to do that for us. He infuses light into everything he gets into.”
BIG is also working on a massive indoor farmers’ market further up the street, meant to remind residents of the St. Lawrence in Toronto. Tyson’s work will be featured in that building as well.
Kofman says their goal is to work together with the artist, to help make the downtown a more welcoming place to be.
“What’s important in these two projects is that the community rally behind now only these two projects, but the gentrification of the community,” says Kofman.
Tyson has also been hired by a number businesses to help bring more attention to their storefront. Milena Holmes runs Frere Du Nord, a clothing store that hand-makes leisure wear in the building.
She commissioned the artist to paint her wall as well, painting a number of seamstress related items like a pencil, scissors and fabric, showing potential customers what was inside. Holmes says with partners like Tyson creating art in the city, it helps everyone.
“It’s always super tasteful and it’s really unique for each business,” Holmes said.
The graffiti artist says his latest creation has seen the most praise.
“Even when I was painting it, people were just honking and saying, ‘yeah, great job,'” says Tyson.
Although it’s a message that is heard so often, thanking workers on the front lines, residents say it needs to be repeated.
“I don’t think we can thank them enough,” says Yvonne.
“They’ve been working since everything started.”
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