Dynamic mural comes to life at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory
Posted Feb 2, 2023 01:52:55 PM.
Visitors to Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory can now marvel at a vibrant new mural that captures the essence of the attraction’s 10,000 sq. ft. tropical rainforest.
The mural, centrally located in the front lobby, unites exotic butterflies, moths, birds, insects and tropical plants using a combination of acrylic paint and water-based spray paint, the conservatory said in a news release.
Award-winning artist Dominic Laporte and co-founder Anaïs Labrèque of Drift Mural Co. painted the mural over six days at the conservatory at 2500 Kossuth Rd.
The resulting artwork is impressive in size and scale, featuring a variety of flora and fauna including butterflies with a 5-foot wingspan and larger-than-life leafcutter ants.
The Ottawa-based muralists combine traditional painting and mixed media techniques while using bright, bold colour palettes. Their large scale illustrations blend fine art and urban street art into their own unique artistic style.
The team at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory worked closely with the artists to incorporate several educational narratives into the design.
“We have long admired Drift Mural Co.’s work and it is very exciting to showcase their work here at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory,” said Adrienne Brewster, curator and executive director. “This artwork is not only stunning, but it contains a variety of concepts that point to the important role that butterflies and other insects play in our ecosystem.”
“I haven’t done a mural that focuses on birds and insects, so I was able to take some liberties with colour and movement and create a sort of fantasy world,” Laporte said.
Laporte has produced large-scale murals commissioned by Canada’s Museum of Science and Technology, the Toronto Raptors, BMO, Adidas, the Canadian Medical Association, the City of Ottawa Light Rail Transit Project, among many others.
The Cambridge installation is set for completion Feb. 2.
You can read more about the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory here or learn more about Drift Mural Co. here.
