Sussex Vale Exhibition Building

12.2 x 8.7 mtr (40 x 28.5 ft) First design as submitted by artist. During New Brunswick’s “Golden Age” Sussex was chosen in 1860 as the site for a provincial exhibition to be held in October 1861, and work began on construction of an exhibition hall during that summer. Saint John architect Matthew Stead designed a magnificent Italian style building, which had three large entrances over which were figures representing the four seasons, crowned by a colossal figure of Britannia, flanked by two full-sized moose. “Never before in any country place in this Province were there so many people assembled at one time as at Sussex during the Exhibition”, one newspaper wrote. The hall was never used again and eventually it was torn down. By painting the mural in trompe l’oeil style, Ken aimed to combine the grandeur of the building with the lively and engaging events staged within. The artist: Ken White, born in Swindon, UK, trained as a graphic designer, working for the British Council and freelancing in book and magazine illustrations. He has been a professional mural artist since 1976, painting murals in a wide variety of locations and styles. The first mural he painted was in his hometown of Swindon, Wiltshire. It commemorated the Golden Lion Bridge, a famous Swindon landmark. With the launch of Virgin Atlantic in June 1984, Ken produced what is probably his most well known work – the ‘Scarlet Lady’ emblem that features on all the airline’s aircraft. His reputation has grown with commissions from organizations such as Madame Tussauds, and in addition to the more than 100 murals he has completed, he continues to produce his own paintings on canvas. http://www.kenwhitemurals.co.uk/