Mtis artist Destiny Swiderski transforms back alley into award-winning 'connector'

Destiny Swiderski lives to createwhether it's tending to an acres of blueberries on Vancouver Island ordesigning and installing massive public art projects.

The 36-year-old Mtis artist'slatest work occupies a previously bare wall connectingthe relatively new Michael Phair Park with Beaver Hills House Park that's been at Jasper Avenue and 103rd Street for close to 40 years now.

Swiderski remembers being presented with the artistic challenge.

"I had this site;it was a dark alley.It was really important for me to create a sense of safety at night and to create a story."

In the mural, more than 150 copper silhouettes ofBohemian waxwings swoopover a lodgepoleforest.

Swiderski says she put her heart and soulinto a project thattook a year from conception to completion.

"This piece was not just going to be about me, it was going to be about the community at large and what they had to say."

It's the reason the lead artistenlisted the help of individuals from Edmonton organizations like theiHuman Youth Society and the Canadian Native Friendship Centre.

"It was very important that I got knowledge holders and elders as collaborators because they were my teachers,"Swiderskisaid.

She gave them some of the birds to personalize.

"All I said to them was 'Tell me your story,' so they drew, they put letters, words of peace and love, so it really talked about what they were feeling about the past, the present and the future," she said.

"I also really needed to make that connection between the rural Beaver Hills Parkwhich is located east of Edmonton and the urban environment where (this)park was placed."

WillTruchon, chair of the public art committee with the Edmonton Arts Council, says Swiderski's workis just the latest success by an Indigenous artistin the city.

"Essentially it increases our quality of life"

7 years ago

Duration 3:51

Will Truchon, chair of the public art committee with the Edmonton Arts Council, gives us a tour of some of the work on display.

Truchon points to themural by Alex Janvier at Rogers Place, another by Aaron Paquette at the Grandin LRT station, work by David Garneau taking place now on the Edmonton's Tawatin LRT bridge and the construction of a new Indigenous art park.

'A thing of beauty': Alex Janvier's tile mosaic unveiled at Rogers Place

New murals unveiled at Grandin LRT station

Regina Mtis artist to create 400 paintings for Edmonton bridge

"I think everywhere you go, it's really nice to see public art and a lot of it talks about the history in the community. Essentially it increases our quality of life," said Truchon.

This month, Swiderski's Beaver Hills House Park mural was recognized by the organization American for the Artsin itsyear in review of "outstanding" public art projects.

You can see more from Beaver Hills House Park this week on Our Edmonton Saturday at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday on CBC TV.