(Just one of the many Stittsville United Church hand-painted murals with inspirational messages displayed on the church fence at Fernbank Road and Stittsville Main Street. Anyone in the community can get involved or receive a mural to brighten up their property.)

Two months ago, Stittsville Central brought you a story about the colourful murals that adorn the fence surrounding the Stittsville United Church (SUC). Since then, the popularity of the project has grown.

With the SUC, Ruth Richardson began creating and adding these colourful messages of hope to Stittsville’s Fernbank and Main Street corner in late 2020, with the help of many congregation members and church youth. The beautiful designs are Ruth’s own. The murals are made on 8’x4’ sheets of coroplast and coloured using oil-based paint markers.

Any members of the community interested in helping to brighten up Stittsville are encouraged to reach out to Ruth so they can receive a ready-for-colouring mural right to their door. The sheets of coroplast are certainly large, and if space is an issue, Ruth has discovered that she can cut the sheets in half (or even smaller if needed) and later piece them back together into the full size for display.

Ruth recently noticed the older murals were fading in the sun. In response, she purchased UV protective spray and is excited to be able to keep upcoming murals staying nice and bright for longer. Additionally, with the large size of the coroplast making transportation to members of the community difficult, a volunteer has graciously offered to deliver the sheets and other materials in their van. The United Church of Canada has even given the SUC a grant to aid in the cost of materials for the murals.

In addition to searching for anyone interested in colouring these murals, Ruth would love to find more fences to decorate. If you have or know of any fences in high-traffic areas around Stittsville looking to be brightened, please reach out to Ruth by phone 613-836-4962, email suchurch@primus.ca or with a PM on their Colourful Connections-Art from the Heart Facebook page. The mural’s messages are customizable.

The most popular mural messages have been “Thinking of You” (as seen on the mural recently created for residents and staff at Wildpine Residence) and “You Got This!” Both messages are welcome and uplifting reminders in times like these.

Best of all: Ruth – and the community as a whole – is having fun creating these murals. As Ruth puts it, “for me, it’s a win-win-win!” The SUC’s “Colourful Connections – Art from the Heart” program is also continuing to grow. Artists are encouraged to donate their art to be shared once a month with others around the community. The donated pieces should be flat enough to be able to fit in a folder. Art can be donated in a cupboard in front of the church.

Congratulations Ruth, I have been admiring your beautiful murals at the corner of Fernbank and the Main, they brighten our way. As a visual artist myself, I can appreciate the beautiful colours, the composition and the message. All the best, I am glad you continue bringing happiness to our community ❤️ Ana María Rutenberg

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