Artist: Dwayne Davis, 2015
Funded by: Crosina Family, Downtown Williams Lake BIA, City of Williams Lake, Cariboo Regional District
About:
The mural is on the wall of a building owned by Louis James Crosina and Clara Anna Noble’s great-granddaughter, Anita Crosina. This was a fun mural to paint because many people stopped by to tell Dwayne and Steven their memories of the Crosina family and of that era of local history. Back in 1963 Lil died unexpectedly of a heart attack while working in the 153 mile store, after which the door was locked and was never re-opened. The store has remained undisturbed, just as Lil left it, and is now a time capsule and a treasure for historians. There is a plan to move the 153 mile store and contents to downtown Williams Lake where it can be enjoyed by the public. Louis and Clara Crosina (1800’s) beside their only daughter Lil Crosina’s portrait and their one of their three son’s with his horse and dog. Also depicted are the Crosina family’s 153 mile store (1904 -1963), roadhouse and ranch.
Artistic Notes:
Dwayne used the three windows in the building to separate the mural into scenes spanning time and place. Sepia tones set the mural in the deep past. The scenes are so compelling the viewer has the experience of not seeing the windows at all. The texture of the wall itself was a challenge for the muralist. It is bumpy, deep and porous stucco and it soaked up a lot of paint. Dwayne used caulking to smooth out sections were detail was needed, and some of those areas now come out further than other parts of the wall. Dwayne’s son Steven helped paint this mural.
