This mural, created by Robert S. Alexander, can be seen throughout our website. The actual mural is found behind the Library's circulation desk.

Robert S. Alexander was born and educated in Vancouver, B.C. At an early age he became interested in art and the culture of the Native Peoples of the province.

He studied visual arts, graduating with honors from the Vancouver school of art and doing post graduate work at the art students league in New York where he concentrated on portraiture and abstract art. During World War II he served as a war artist in the Canadian Navy recording action on the Atlantic. Towards the end of the war, he was stationed at "Discovery" at Stanley Park where he painted the mural above the officers' mess.

The years '57 to '67 were his most productive. Among other works, he painted a number of murals during that period including the penticton mural which was done in 1963. Most of the murals by R.S. Alexander in public buildings in Vancouver were destroyed when buildings were demolished.

The Penticton mural was commissioned by the Federal government as a gift to the City of Penticton to be installed at the new (1963) Airport Terminal. In 1984 the terminal was remodeled and the mural was painstakingly removed from the wall. It was then rolled up and put into storage.

The Penticton and District Community Arts council was instrumental in obtaining the funds for the mural in the early 1960's, saving it from destruction in 1984. In 1989, the mural was restored and mounted in the reception area of the Penticton Library.

Funding for the restoration and conservation work, undertaken by Cherylee A. Harrison of Conserv-Arte, Bowen Island, B.C., was through fundraising in the community, plus grants from the City of Penticton and the Lotteries Fund of B.C. Substantial donations of time and labour also went into the project which took six weeks to complete with total estimated value of $8000.

The work was completed on Dec 22, 1989.