Arjun Pillai
Daily Herald
An aging door at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre has been transformed with vibrant red prairie lilies, thanks to local artist Ria MacDonald, a summer student majoring in Fine Arts at the University of Saskatchewan, who brought her floral vision to life using acrylic paint in just one day.
The Margo Fournier Arts Centre, located in downtown Prince Albert, regularly hosts community programming, youth events, and art classes. It’s a well-used creative hub that supports emerging artists and provides space for public exhibitions and workshops.
“I wanted to keep something vibrant on the outside,” MacDonald said. “Something to bring some light into everybody’s day.”
MacDonald’s mural continues a tradition at the Arts Centre, where the door is repainted every few years, each time featuring a fresh creation by a different local artist. The door mural continues a theme she’s explored across Prince Albert in recent years: large, colourful floral paintings appearing on windows, doors, and downtown storefronts. Her Prairie lily piece on Central Avenue’s Art on the Avenue display last year drew such positive attention that she revisited the motif at the Arts Centre.
“I think everybody just really likes flowers. It brightens up everyone’s day,” she said.
MacDonald’s artistic journey combines passion and education. Currently pursuing a degree in education with a major in fine arts, she has been actively involved in community-based art projects throughout the city. Her works have graced storefronts such as the Bison Cafe, Art on the Avenue, and Sentiments Floral Studio. Most recently, she completed a commission for the Foil Room Hair and Beauty studio on Central Avenue.
The mural at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre emerged organically. The existing painted door was aging and needed refreshing, prompting Arts Centre staff to invite MacDonald to create something new. The resulting artwork is a bold, joyful addition to the building’s brick facade, a burst of colour and energy that captures attention and draws smiles from pedestrians.
Public response has been enthusiastic, MacDonald said.
“People often stop to talk to me while I’m painting. Someone recently told me it makes downtown look really beautiful. That was really nice to hear.”
In addition to creating public art. MacDonald is actively involved in art education. Throughout the summer, she offers art classes for children at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre, sharing her love for art and inspiring a new generation of local artists.
Earlier this year, her work was also shown at the Mann Art Gallery during the Winter Festival, giving her the chance to reach a wider audience in Prince Albert.
The downtown mural might be temporary, but MacDonald’s work is part of a growing effort to make public spaces in Prince Albert more vibrant and welcoming.
