INNISFAIL – Ryan Jason Allen Willert finally had his special moment in Innisfail with his art brush.
After more than 21 years as a professional Indigenous artist and muralist from the Blackfoot Confederacy Siksika Nation, and growing with wider and wider acclaim across Central Alberta and beyond, Willert, 39, created his first work of art in September in his hometown of Innisfail where he grew up from the ages of one to 15.
“I'm very proud of this piece. A long time ago there was a friend of mine I went to school with in Innisfail and I always said to him that I would have a big piece here one day with my name on it,” said Willert, who is now a resident of Red Deer.
Willert’s work of art on the east wall of the historic 95-year-old Century Theatre in downtown Innisfail is a giant mural that measures up to 20 feet tall and 75 feet wide.
It took him two full days to complete the mural.
He calls his latest work of art Spotted Eagle Teachings.
“It's the biggest mural in town and it has some significant spiritual meaning to it, which could pertain to the rest of the people in this community,” said Willert.
The new mural was an Innisfail Welcoming & Inclusive Community Committee (IWICC) initiative, with members Donna Arnold and Jason Heistad co-leading a sub-committee overseeing the project.
Arnold said the project fee to Willert was set at $7,095, with a provincial grant covering $5,000 and the Town of Innisfail contributing $2,095. She said Central Alberta Co-op donated the paint and Boss Contracting helped with the scaffolding.
Century Theatre owner Derek Austin donated the space on the building’s east exterior wall for the project.
“It’s a local artist; a local idea. It was Jason Heistad that set it in motion. He thought it would be a neat idea,” said Austin. “And of course I said, ‘why not. Let’s do it. Make it look interesting.
“We might as well have something that is appealing to the eye.”
Looking ahead, Heistad is hoping for future collaboration with Austin to have a second mural on the theatre’s west exterior wall; hopefully next year.
But this year’s completed east wall mural, which is dominated by a large and imposing eagle on its north side, is a sure bet to have many locals and visitors to town stop in their tracks for sober reflection.
And that will suit the artist just fine, as there is a heartfelt message behind the brush strokes.
“This is an adult eagle. When an eagle is a child it has spots and when it becomes an adult it loses its spots,” said Willert. "The meaning behind that is when a child is young, they're accustomed to being slaves to their emotions. When they're jealous or angry or sad they act out either through negative words or actions, but that's OK because they're kids, and they're supposed to do that.
“But when you become an adult and you're angry and you start hitting people and screaming and saying profanities, well, that's not OK. That's what children do, not adults,” he added. “And if you're still doing this, well then you’re still a child and you have your spots.
“But when you stop doing stuff like that it means you stop losing your spots,” said Willert. “And that's when you become a man or a woman, not a child.”
Willert’s creation also has another meaning for the proud artist. As gloriously impactful as the message may be, he does not consider his mural, the first ever for Innisfail in his acclaimed career, as a gift to his hometown. In fact, the opposite is truer.
“It’s Innisfail gifting me; showing me their respects for being in Blackfoot territory,” said Willert. “My dad, a large majority of my relatives, went to residential school. My dad was taken from his parents and forced to go into a life of abuse so that this town can exist.
“This is their way of giving back to that,” the artist continued. “And so to me, this is Innisfail reaching out showing their respects. It's a gift to me.”
