Photo: Jerry Whitehead is working on the mural panels inside the historic post office throughout July and into August / Courtesy of Robbie Schweigert
By Nicole Goldsworthy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SaskToday.ca
Well-known Canadian artist Jerry Whitehead is creating a large mural this month to show appreciation to the community of Melfort and everyone who stepped up in the wake of the 2022 mass stabbing tragedy connected to nearby James Smith Cree Nation.
“I’ve wanted to do this project for some time,” Whitehead said. “I’m glad the support is now in place to make it happen.”
The mural will be constructed from 15 four-by-eight-foot aluminum panels and will feature imagery that reflects Melfort’s identity as a friendly and supportive city. The design includes emergency vehicles, the historic post office on Main Street, scenes from the Melfort Fair, and Whitehead’s signature powwow imagery rendered in bold colours.
“Most people who’ve travelled through Western Canada would likely recognize his art, even if they don’t know his name,” Sandra Dancey, community organizer said.
Whitehead is working on the mural panels inside the historic post office throughout July and into August.
A member of the Cree Nation, Whitehead holds a Bachelor of Arts in Indian Art from the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax. His formal education and lifelong dedication to his craft have earned him a strong reputation as an established and imaginative artist in Western Canada.
The completed mural will be installed on the south wall of the Melfort Fire Hall later this summer. An official unveiling will be held, with local dignitaries and sponsors expected to speak about the artwork’s significance to the community.
The project is sponsored by Affinity Credit Union, with additional support from Prairie North Co-op, SaskGaming, Sauder Home Hardware, the City of Melfort and Northern Lights Gallery.
The mural is a tribute to the strength and compassion shown by Melfort residents during and after the 2022 tragedy, when a series of mass stabbings at James Smith Cree Nation and nearby Weldon left 11 people dead and 18 injured — one of the deadliest attacks in modern Canadian history.