You Will Bloom Again
Mural
In 2025, the founders of Live Love Louder (L3) approached me to collaborate on a mural for the Addictions Medicine Unit (AMU) at Health Sciences North in Sudbury. Early conversations centred on how the artwork could communicate safety, care, and belonging, ensuring the space felt welcoming to all who access it. Purple is also prominently featured throughout the design, as its the official colour of the addiction recovery movement, and symbolizes hope, healing, and resilience.
left-side panel (4' x 8') when entering the AMU
Before the design process began, Wallace Gillard and Laura-Leigh Gillard of L3 developed and distributed questionnaires to both patients and staff, inviting feedback on words, colours, patterns, and symbols that felt supportive and resonant. The resulting mural reflects this collective input, making the work not only visually engaging, but grounded in the voices of those who use the space.
Flora and fauna emerged repeatedly in the survey responses, so the mural is organized into three horizontal themes — plants, birds, and trees — each interpreted through the five selected words. Every column corresponds to a specific word; for example, healing is represented through chamomile, hummingbirds, and cedar.
right-side panel (4' x 8') when entering the AMU
concept for the forget-me-not wall
The forget-me-not, small yet rich in meaning, inspired a collaborative wall designed to grow over time — a quiet reminder that those who move through the space are seen, valued, and remembered.
Support Don’t Shame offers a gentle reminder that care and healing are nurtured through compassion, not judgment.
Given the scale and detail of the design, painting directly on site would have required extended disruption to a sensitive environment. To remain respectful of both patients and staff, the final artwork was instead printed and mounted.
The mural features text in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), English, and French, contributing to a more inclusive and affirming space.
