The mural project for downtown Osoyoos, spearheaded by the Wide Arts National Association (WANA) and the Osoyoos Rotary Club, has secured an artist to paint the mural by Main Street.

Okanagan artist Endrené Shepherd will be starting to paint the mural this summer, beginning on June 21.

Shepherd is quite active in the local arts community. She has previously served on the board of directors for the Penticton Arts Council for three years.

While Shepherd has painted many murals before, she is perhaps best known for her whimsical  Tickleberry’s mural in Okanagan Falls. It shows a community of bears in the Okanagan Valley enjoying ice cream, having a picnic, flying a kite, and generally being wholesome.

Having an artist who had experience with mural art before was important to WANA, as they have a limited time frame and budget to get the project done and needed someone who knew what they were doing.

The new mural is first and foremost to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Town of Osoyoos.

Shepherd explained that the mural wall will be like postcards spread over someone’s kitchen table, which represent different events and groups through the history of Osoyoos.

Osoyoos’ new mural will be painted on the brick wall attached to the Fields store. Neha Chollangi photo.

“There’s a lot of cultural diversity in Osoyoos and everybody needs to be represented, and not just cultural diversity, but diversity in the landscape and the industry . . . and I think that’s why it seemed like a daunting project,” said Shepherd.

It will be a montage of Osoyoos memories spanning 1946 to 2021  including cultural events, desert, lake and mountain locales, the people, wildlife, orchards,  vineyards and activities that have made and continue to make Osoyoos a destination of choice, according to WANA.

A plaque announcing all contributors will also be displayed on the “mural wall” (east side of Fields store facing 85th Street) and revealed later this summer.

In efforts to fundraise for the project, the Rotary Club is organizing a campaign named “Building Community – one brick at a time.”

They will be selling mural bricks to community members and anyone that wants to buy and own a part of the mural for $25 per brick.

The funds raised will help cover costs and go towards the establishment of a Mural Legacy  program.

The fundraiser will be an on-going event as the mural is being painted. People interested in buying a brick can email [email protected] to request a purchase form.