“Mural Lady” retires

 By Chelsey Devito

The executive director of Mural Routes, Karin Eaton, has retired after 28 years of helping beautify Birch Cliff, Scarborough and beyond with colourful murals that helped redefine public wall art.

Karin Eaton, former Executive Director of Mural Routes

Eaton helped create Mural Routes through what was then known as the Scarborough Arts Council, which is now located 1859 Kingston Road.

Her colleagues describe her as a visionary, as Murals Routes has grown since 1990 to collaborate with communities and artists in creating 50 murals in Toronto alone.

 “I love working with artists and being able to connect with the projects, and it’s been a great honour to work with them,” Eaton said in an interview with Birch Cliff News.

Eaton’s vision made art accessible to everyone, according to Ward 36 Councillor Gary Crawford.  “She put our neighbourhood on the map with Mural Routes, a model which has since been adopted throughout North America,” Crawford said.

Scarborough’s Heritage Trail

The very first mural designed through Mural Routes is located at Midland and Kingston Road and depicts the Halfway House, a rural stagecoach inn circa 1848, that was moved to Black Creek Pioneer Village in 1966.  

It marked the beginning of Scarborough’s “Heritage Trail”, a series of 12 murals celebrating Scarborough’s history that paved the way for a broader mandate to include education and community murals all over Toronto.

Halfway house mural depicting the 1848 inn that was the halfway point between Pickering and Toronto. By John Hood, 1990 at Kingston Rd. and Midland. Restored July 2018 by Blinc Studios. Photo credit: Mural Routes.

Scarborough Rifle Company marching to the Niagara Frontier, June 1, 1866. By John Hood, Sept. 1991 at Kingston Rd. and Kildonan.

“In The Way of Progress”. Kingston Rd. radial car Stop 17 with R.H. King Academy in the background. By Phil, Jennifer and Jamie Richards, 1996, to commemorate Scarborough’s bicentennial. Photo credit: Mural Routes.

Mural Routes not only has a strong presence in Toronto, but the organization has helped beatify communities all over the country, from British Columbia to Newfoundland.

            “I think there is a sense of neighbourhood improvement, and there’s a sense of pride in their space,” Eaton said, “it’s just been very positive,”.

Eaton (who goes by @MuralLady on Twitter) never slowed down during her tenure as executive director.

In 2012, birch tree murals started popping up all over Birch Cliff after Mural Routes secured grants to improve the streetscape of Kingston Rd. and improve the branding of the neighbourhood.

             “Suffice to say that Karin Eaton’s legacy is her brilliant idea of “reforesting” the Birch Cliff area with murals of birch trees,” said Hedi Greenwood, a long time Birch Cliff activist and friend and colleague of Eaton.  

Birch tree mural, Warden Ave. and Kingston Road. Designed by Rob Matejka, painted by youth employment program artists, 2012

Mural Routes deliberately included smaller murals in the Birch Cliff project to add an element of surprise such as this one on the side of the Win A Mart variety store.

Eaton received the Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for her service to the Scarborough arts community. Although Eaton is retiring from Mural Routes, she plans to remain part of the organization as an advisor.

Her current position will be broken up into two positions filled by Marta Keller-Hernandez as managing director and Tara Dorey as program director.

“They have been shadowing her for years, and are an excellent tag team,” Allan Bender, president of the board of directors of Mural Routes said.

Mural Routes not only focuses on beautifying communities but also educating artists. In 2016, Mural Routes created the Mural Art Learning Institute which involves programs for artists to network and learn.

“She is leaving us a real legacy,” Bender said, “Mural Routes is essentially a community type agency and an association of artists,”.

Eaton has retired to Port Perry after living in the Birch Cliff area since 1973.

“It’s like watching your child grow up. You know it’s right, Eaton said. “I can’t even ask for having a better 28 years with Mural Routes, it’s been life changing, and I feel blessed.”

Scroll down for more photographs of local murals made possible by Karin Eaton and Mural Routes.

The “Western Gateway” mural depicts the community’s connection to the Scaroborough Bluffs. A project of Cultural Hotspot in conjunctions with Mural Routes. By Bill Wrigley, 2015. Photo credit: Mural Routes.

“Tudor Birch Grove” is a romantic look back to a time when Birch Cliff was full of farmers fields and birch trees. By Sarah Collard, 2012 on the east wall of Wimpy’s diner.

The Bluffs and Elizabeth Simcoe, who gave Scarborough its name, are featured on the Warden Underpass Mural just south of Danforth Ave. This was a collaboration with the City of Toronto and local arts organizations. By DeAnne Lamirande, 2013.

The real life “Bomb Girls” who worked at Scarborough’s General Engineering Company (GECo) plant during WW II. St. Clair East near Warden. By OMEN, a Montreal-based graffiti artist in collaboration with StARToronto. Project Managed by Mural Routes. Photo credit: Mural Routes.