Historic flour mill brought to life in downtown Oshawa mural

While art lovers look to turn the Oshawa Bus Terminal into a work of art during the ArtBlock event at next weekend’s Convergence Music & Art Festival, a local artist known for her colourful pop art illustrations has already transformed the McMillan Parkade down the street into a striking seven-floor mural commemorating an historic mill that once stood on the site.

The mural, ‘Turning the Wheel’ by Dani Crosby, commemorates the rich history of the John Bolase Warren Flour Mill – an especially fitting piece as Oshawa celebrate 100 years as a city.

Using a combination of ink-based line work and digital techniques, Crosby, who is also an art instructor at Durham College, was able to capture the history of the mill, which played an important role in Oshawa early economic history.

The artwork references the natural and cultivated landscapes, the mill’s architecture, the labour force and the community’s deep connection to the creek. The temporary mural is printed on adhesive vinyl and mounted on aluminum panels.

As part of Culture Days on October 5, Crosby will be giving a free artist talk, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arts Resource Centre, 45 Queen Street, next to Oshawa City Hall. The talk will offer interested residents an opportunity to learn more about the inspiration and process behind the mural.

Artist Dani Crosby installing her work at the McLaughlin Gallery for the Body Languages Exhibition in 2019

Crosby’s designs have popped up in a variety of places around Oshawa and Durham Region and she is especially noted for her pop art-style logo designs, with the Durham Craft Beer Festival, Brew Wizards Board Game Café, the LivingRoom Community Art Studio and the Convergence Festival itself among her clients.

Her work is also found in commercial illustrations, on shipping containers in downtown Oshawa and on other public art projects such as a series of murals depicting the Greenwood Blacksmith Shop at Pickering Museum Village.

Crosby’s project aligns with Oshawa’s Public Art Master Plan, which aims to create vibrant public spaces and meaningful connections within the community. The mural, a statement from the City declared, not only honours Oshawa’s past but also reflects the city’s ongoing commitment to celebrating its cultural heritage through innovative public art.

John Warren built the mill in 1837 and lived where Parkwood Estate – home of GM of Canada founder Col. Sam McLaughlin – now stands. Warren, who managed the Ontario Bank in Oshawa as well as his mill, died in 1879 and is buried at St. George’s Anglican Cemetery in the city.

For more information on this and other public art initiatives, visit Oshawa.ca/PublicArt.

The mural in all its seven floors of glory