Vintage movie poster side panel of Magnet Grocery mural in Nipawin. (Facebook/Gaudet Art)

By Angie Rolheiser

Nipawin Mural

Art mural in Nipawin gets a face-lift

Aug 18, 2020 | 1:32 PM

The Magnet Grocery mural in Nipawin has a fresh look to its side panels.

The mural was originally painted back in 2001 to replicate the store front of the business that was tore down in the 1970s and is located on the same site.

Manitou Beach artist Michael Gaudet said he re-painted the side panels that have been damaged by environmental factors.

“One of the panels was a 1940s bulletin board, the other side was an old vintage poster of the Charge of the Light Brigade,” Gaudet said.

Bulletin board side panel of Magnet Grocery mural in Nipawin was recently re-painted. (Facebook/Gaudet Art)

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The poster that is shown was chosen by the Murals of Nipawin Inc. committee as a typical poster of a movie that would have been showing at the Roxy Theatre.

The picture windows of the store front show merchandise from the 1940s which Gaudet said he found at the museum in Nipawin to use as samples for the painting.

The Magnet Grocery mural in Nipawin was painted in 2001 to replicate the original store front. (Facebook/Gaudet Art)

There are also reflections in the glass windows of cars that may have been seen in that period as well as a business across the street. The original owners are standing life-size in front of the store, Sid and Fran Potts.

“We had so many people dropping by back in 2001 to share stories of going to the store during recess or after school and how Mr. Potts would maybe give them extra candy,” Gaudet said. “It brings back fond memories for the citizens of Nipawin.”

The Potts still have family in the community and Gaudet said that their family members have expressed how honoured they still are to see it in the community.

The re-painted panels were installed last week.

Gaudet said this summer has been one of his busiest to date, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It seems like it has been one thing after another and after another has been happening in my shop, and I really don’t know why,” Gaudet said.

He was able finish the Manitou Reflections project at Manitou Beach with his partner, Darrel Baschak. Landscaping is underway but the official unveiling ceremony is being pushed back.

The centennial planning committee is expecting a large crowd which cannot be accommodated at the site to abide by social distancing guidelines.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser