Tribute piece pays homage to equestrian’s legacy

LAURIE WEIR

A new Smiths Falls art installment in an alley off Beckwith Street will take pedestrians underwater on route to the parking lot on Main Street.

The underwater theme is being created by Ottawa artists Chris Seiler (Dems) and Sarah Doll, who are the husband-wife duo, Dems and Doll. Their work can be seen across Ottawa, and as far away as Toronto and Montreal. It’s the first time they’ve created a spray-painted piece of art in Smiths Falls.

“It will take about a week to complete,” Doll said, as they have been brainstorming the theme with the Downtown Smiths Falls Business Association (DSFBA).

They will add a tribute piece with a nod to the legacy of equestrian Ian Millar of Perth, who has appeared in 10 Olympic Games and is most noted for his achievements with Big Ben.

Dems and Doll have been showcasing their art for about 12 years now, she said.

With this piece, Dems said they sketched it out first, then used chalk to draw the images on the sidewalk.

“We use chalk to mark it all up then paint it in,” Dems said.

Because it’s a high-traffic area and sanded in the winter, Doll said they’d be returning more often than if it was a mural. She said they will be back in the spring to see how it weathered over the winter.

Dems said they’ve done a lot of sidewalks, parking lots, and large buildings.

Once this piece is finished, Dems said he’d put a sealant on it. They encourage people to not walk on it for at least 24 hours.

“That will provide a little bit of buffer,” he said. “It takes a good 24 to 48 hours to fully cure.”

The alley has some patio lights strung across it and the couple said that will look “really cool at night when the lights are on.”

Dems said this would make an ideal spot for a patio or have a bistro set up with umbrellas.

Megan McIlvenna is the new DBA coordinator for the town.

“They’re incredibly skilled and very efficient with time,” McIlvenna said. “They’ve got an incredible body of work and we like what they’ve done with the bright florals and we asked that they do it with things they could find in Smiths Falls in the Rideau.”

McIlvenna said they wanted to bring more colour and light to the downtown core. The Edison light bulbs have added some more light to the darker street at night, she said. “Many businesses use that back alley as a way to get to their cars so it’s a two-for-one for safety and to make it look pretty.”

McIlvenna said they asked if they could use the ground as a different space. “Oftentimes what you walk on isn’t utilized for art,” she said. “It’s such a cool space. Such a great canvas – it’s 90 feet long.”

The DBA had a $10,000 budget for this art piece, and “it didn’t hit that ceiling,” McIlvenna said.

“We’re hoping this is the kickstart of beautiful things to come.”