Those passing by the St. Mary Catholic Church in Westlock in recent weeks may have noticed a bright new mural of the Virgin Mary and Jesus on the front step.
If the vivid colours and kaleidoscope-like pattern grabbed your attention, that’s exactly what painter Judith Garcia was hoping for. She wants the mural to catch the eye of young families and “call them back” to the church.
Judith, whose husband Oscar-José Garcia teaches at St. Mary School, began painting the mural back in July to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school this Aug. 30-31 weekend.
Last Thursday, she was out in front of the church touching up some colours that had faded during a month-long vacation in Spain, Germany and Ontario.
After seeking permission from the church to begin the mural, Garcia painted the front face of the step white and patched the holes in the concrete.
Garcia has a commercial art degree and has painted a number of murals, including an eight-metre high depiction of Arnold Schwarzenegger outside Little Guys Fitness in Sherwood Park — the mural has since been painted over.
Despite having done other such murals, she said painting this mural for the church was “a dream for me.”
She said some older people in the parish had asked why the mural doesn’t feature the same colours as the exterior of the St. Mary church.
Garcia said she wanted the colours to be “bright and loud” and more modern for younger people to identify with.
