Murals in Motion: Sussex to Unveil Two New Vibrant Murals

The town of Sussex has commissioned two new site-specific murals that will be created this September/October and will remain on public display for 5-10 years. These two new dynamic pieces of art will connect and engage with the community, transforming the sites into vibrant, inviting, and meaningful public places. The town recently passed a Public Art Policy which outlines the inclusive and open process for public art selection, and sees Sussex working closely with AX, the Arts & Culture Centre of Sussex (AX), a charitable non-profit organization that provides accessible, dynamic and inclusive cultural programming for the community.

The two locations chosen for this year’s murals are the Sussex Regional Library and a private residence on Needle Street. These have been selected as priority sites based on Sussex’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation efforts. “The quality and number of interested applicants was inspiring” said AX’s Executive and Artistic Director, Alison Murphy. “We had fantastic applications from across North America, and the Public Art Committee had a hard job creating a shortlist”.

Meet the Public Art Committee:

The town’s Public Art Committee that reviewed all of the applications and consulted on this project is comprised of:

Meet the Jury:

After the Public Art Committee shortlisted the mural artists, they were invited to develop concept designs for specific locations. A diverse and experienced jury was assembled to make the final selections. We are grateful for their time and expertise in choosing the murals you will soon see in Sussex.

EMMA HASSENCAHL-PERLEY

Emma Hassencahl-Perley is a Wolastoqiyik artist from Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) in New Brunswick. Specializing in beadwork, murals, and digital illustration, Emma’s art is a reflection of her identity as an ehpit (woman) and Wolastoqwiw citizen of the Wabanaki Confederacy. Her work draws on the rich visual traditions of her nation, with themes that explore water, Wabanaki feminisms, and the Wabanaki double-curve motif—a symbol representing relationships, nationhood and community. These motifs form both a cultural and aesthetic foundation in Emma’s practice, linking ancestral Wabanaki material culture with digital storytelling techniques.In addition to her work as an artist, Emma is the Curator of Indigenous Art at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and she teaches in the Wabanaki Visual Art Program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mount Allison University (2017) and a Master of Arts in Art History from Concordia University (2022).

JEAN ROONEY

Jean Rooney is an Irish born artist who received her foundational art education, east of the Atlantic Ocean, on the banks of the River Liffey in Dublin. She gallivanted west, to live on Maritime shores, where she is raising her children on the wetlands of Welamukotuk, on traditional territory of the Wolastoqiyik. Jean’s practice is underpinned by the pillars of artmaking, research and education. Jean’s large-scale paintings and murals reflect the colourful watershed of New Brunswick with imagined surreal stories. “I make playful art; I also think and theorize through the making and doing.” As an individual artist, I have designed my practice to be relational and communal. I engage artist peers and teach our next generation of emerging designers and artists to forge sustainable careers. I facilitate public lectures for artists to story their studio career and share their art lives.

Jean is a Ph.D. Candidate in Art Education at Concordia University, Montreal and Head of Studio of Advanced Studio Practice—graduate studies— at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from the National College of Art and Design, Ireland, a Master of Science in Multimedia from Trinity College Dublin, and a Master of Education from UNB, Canada.
Jean has over twenty years of experience in artmaking and exhibiting. She is a recipient of multiple grants from the Arts Board of New Brunswick, the Arts Council of Ireland, and the Government of New Brunswick. She has completed over 19 Artist-in-Residencies and ArtSmarts projects in New Brunswick many of them murals projects. Her commissions include Public Art for GNB, and the Delta Marriott Hotels group. Her artwork is included in the provincial art bank of New Brunswick.

SYDNEY BLACK

Sydney Black is the Executive Director of the Nelson District Arts Council and Co-Founder of the Nelson International Mural Festival. Before joining the Nelson and District Arts Council in 2016, Sydney started a musical theatre company, producing shows for over a decade and building up her expertise as a business owner, event manager, and program coordinator.

As Executive Director for NDAC, Sydney expertly steers the organization’s artistic direction while handling the day-to-day operations, including planning and overseeing budgets, organizing events and exhibitions, and working behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. For Sydney, the role of executive director involves wearing many hats, but at its core, it’s about supporting and nurturing the arts within the community. In this role she co founded the Nelson International Mural Festival, which has seen the installation of 53 murals over 7 years throughout Nelson BC.

“I love how Nelson embraces and celebrates its artistic spirit. From the lively arts festivals to the cozy galleries tucked away in historic buildings, there’s an undeniable creative energy that infuses every aspect of life in Nelson.”

FRED HARRISON

Fred Harrison has been a full time mural artist for over thirty years. Originally attracted to New Brunswick by commissions to paint murals in Sussex years ago, Fred came to love the area enough to move here from London, Ontario in 2007. Fred has painted murals across many parts of Canada, leaving a lasting visual impression with his unique style.

CHRISTIANA MYERS

Christiana Myers is an art curator, writer, educator, and artist, based in Menagoesg (Saint John,
New Brunswick). After growing up in Sussex, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Mount Allison University and later a Master’s in Curatorial Practice in Contemporary Art at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Art History through the University of Glasgow.

Her practice is driven by interdisciplinary curiosity and often explores physical, environmental, or
institutional systems. She has organized exhibitions and art events in Atlantic Canada, Québec, the UK, and Finland. Locally, she has worked closely with Third Space Gallery, the New Brunswick Museum, the New Brunswick College of Craft & Design, and has curated exhibitions at the Saint John Arts Centre, the Third Shift contemporary art festival, and at AX, the Arts &
Culture Centre of Sussex. When she was sixteen, she was hired as a student assistant to the artist who painted the mural on Needle Street.

She is very much looking forward to being able to contribute in a positive way to its long overdue replacement, and is thrilled to be part of public art initiatives in her hometown.

Meet the Artists:

The Town of Sussex is delighted to announce that the artists who will be painting murals in Sussex this fall are Anaϊs Labrèque and Dominic Laporte of Drift Mural Co., and Ji Hyang Ryu. You can see their previous work on their websites:

www.driftmurals.com & jihyangryu.com.

Keep your eyes open for the new artwork as painting will begin
this week. In 2025 the town will once again launch an open call for interested mural
artists and commission new work for the community!