Artists commissioned for the Valley Line LRT at the January 22 announcement in City Hall - Left to Right: Paul Reimer (Cranbrook, BC); Oksana Movchan; Paul Freeman; Erin Pankratz; Stephanie Jonsson - all from Edmonton

Public art visions of Edmonton, its history, communities, stories, and landscapes will dazzle transit users when the Valley Line LRT from Downtown to Mill Woods opens in 2020. The collection – 14 pieces in all – has a total budget of $1.7 million with commissions to four Edmonton artists accounting for $404,000 or nearly 25% of that amount.

The artists, Paul Freeman, Stephanie Jonsson, Oksana Movchan, and Erin Pankratz will create sculptures, glass art, and mosaics, respectively, for the Avonmore, Muttart, and Bonnie Doon neighbourhood stops as well as the Davies Ramp.

In his remarks at the January 22 announcement at City Hall, Councillor Aaron Paquette said, “Every dollar we invest in public art actually comes back to us, we get at least five for every dollar we invest. We invest not only in the community and spirit of our city but also its economy”.

Artist drawing for Bonnie Doon Stop - Oksana Movchan

This community spirit is carried over into the majority of art for the Valley Line. Oksana Movchan’s water colours of a peony garden in winter, summer, spring, and fall, are inspired by the historic Silver Heights Peony Garden that supplied peony bushes to Edmonton gardens. Her paintings are accompanied by text from children at Rutherford Elementary School. “I got 124 submissions from children writing their thoughts about their community, what is special to them and what they like. I’m going through them to choose the final words that will end up on the glass.”

Artist model of Muttart Stop - Stephanie Jonsson

Fantastical plants and flowers will cover the canopies of the Muttart Stop. Edmonton-born artist Stephanie Jonsson cites the nearby Muttart Conservatory as an early artistic influence that continues to fuel her fascination with organic shapes. “I usually work in ceramics or textiles and reference sea creatures or plants. More than 60 people came out to my community workshop at the Muttart to draw plants and flowers. I now have just over 100 drawings to inspire and inform my sculptures, which will be created from waterjet aluminum.”

Artist Rendering for Avonmore Stop - Paul Freeman

Paul Freeman’s playful, life size deer at Avonmore stop will add a further fantastical note of whimsy to the Valley Line. The recipient of several Edmonton Arts Council Individual Project grants over the years, this is his first public art commission. “This artwork builds on my body of work. The sculpture will be of three deer, and I invite everyone to a drawing and sculpture workshop on February 24 at the ReUse Centre by the stop. Community members can help me to change, distort, and add to, the deer shapes taking this project one step further.”

Artist’s andamento watercolour for Davies Ramp - Erin Pankratz

The largest local commission goes to Erin Pankratz, who was selected through an international call to artists, to create art at the Davies Ramp. Her 47-metre-long mosaics will be installed on both sides of the structure. The nearby Mill Creek Ravine inspires the artwork’s sinuous lines, while the vibrant blues, greens, pinks, and yellows are a tribute to Edmonton’s sky, landscape, and river parklands.

Erin says she is thrilled to create an artwork of this scope and significance.

“It is humbling and also a huge responsibility. The experience I will gain from this project will give me more credibility and ability to pursue public art  opportunities in other cities in Canada and abroad. That said, I truly believe in a balance of local, national, and international calls and artists in Edmonton's public art collection as I definitely want to be one of the ones going off and creating art in other cities, so I believe others should have that opportunity here too. Artistic diversity is important; balanced with giving local artists the  opportunity to gain experience while creating something wonderful here in Edmonton.”

All the Valley Line artworks will be accessible to the public when the LRT opens in 2020. In the meantime, explore these four projects and the other 10 Valley Line artworks at edmontonpublicart.ca.