“I got into the gallery system of Calgary and New York, so I guess I’ve been doing this professionally since 2006. I painted the Bass Bus, worked with Cirque Du Soleil, but Hillhurst Hardware was the first one I did professionally.
I love the vibrancy of this neighbourhood. It’s the people, that’s what makes it so great. Even the people who pass through here. When I was working on this mural, it was a simple concept, but the people who walked by helped push it to what it is now. Local businesses helped out, let me store things in their space, people brought me food–I’m thankful for that.
I just want to give a shout-out to Neil Egsgard. He was already doing a project like this, so we connected and I don’t think this mural would have happened if it weren’t for the both of us collaborating. I just want to give him some acknowledgement.” Shane ‘Holts’, artist.