This fall, the Virtual Gurus team approached me to create two interior murals for their new office on in downtown Calgary. They wanted to see lots of colour, texture, and imagery to make their new office space reflect their company values and create an inviting atmosphere for team members and guests. While different styles both final pieces were a mix of typography, custom-lettering, and illustration.
this must be the place
This welcoming lobby mural is something of an affirmation for team members and guests. I pulled in in graffiti styling and texture and added in hand-lettering elements and more illustration pieces. The illustrations in the word PLACE are relevant to the city and surrounding settings: wide open starry skies, wild roses, wheat and grassland prairies, the meeting of the Bow and Elbow, Calgary Tower, the Bow, and mountain ranges.
paddle your own canoe
This mural is on the second level of the Virtual Gurus space and faces their co-working and stand-up meeting area.
The phrase paddle your own canoe means to be independent and steadfast in what you do. A perfect match for the self-driven Gurus. In terms of styling we’re pulling in some of those more illustrated element inspirations, the meeting of the rivers lands just above the doorframe and the rivers have small folks canoeing and waterbirds peppered throughout, theres an idealized city skyline of Calgary, layered in among the grasses and wild rose motifs to add some surrealism and levity.
