WELLAND FAIR | JOHN HOOD  | 1989 (located at 228 East Main Street Welland)

Like many other murals – and all of Hood’s contributions to this series – this mural is divided into three images. This mural offers several vignettes from the history of the Welland fair which began in 1832. From the left, “livestock winners are proudly paraded at the 1940’s fair. In the centre, a 1958 midway scene is frozen in time with tents and Ferris Wheels. In the right hand scene, the livestock judge examines a line of sheep at the Niagara Regional Exhibition.” (from the Welland Historical Museum)

Hood “works in a contemporary style that refers strongly to his interest in the painting of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. He is mainly interested in dealing with atmosphere and mood in urban and rural landscapes in a Canadian context; the figure is a very important component of this activity.”

That quote is from his site, where you can explore many of his works and learn more about this artist : https://johnahood.com/

A member of the OSA (Ontario Society of Artists), his paintings are in numerous collections across Canada.

This is one of three murals John Hood created for the Festival of Arts, and he was the youngest artist among the group. The other murals he completed were “Welland Club” and “Three Historical Scenes” (which we featured several weeks ago).

The exhibition Gone But Never Forgotten: A Look At Welland’s Outdoor Murals at the Welland Historical Museum is on display until the end of 2022.

We will continue – both in partnership with groups or overcoming apathy from others – to platform the issue of the Welland Murals, and to push forward in using this situation as a lever to improve civic commitment to culture (and ensuring that responsibilities are met, and will be met, in the future).