The mural "Bard" was inspired by Kazakh culture and music. Having grown up in Kazakhstan, I have been exposed to a lot of its traditions, and the memories of the clothing and ornament design really stuck with me. It felt great to revisit the familiar imagery and explore how I could draw upon a quickly recognizable aesthetic. Not many people are aware of Kazakhstan's history and traditions, so maybe this piece of art could be a small glance for someone to want to learn more. 

The building the mural is painted on is where my fine art studio is located, and I really liked the idea of having a guardian by the door to greet everyone visiting the studio. (Something similar to the guardians from the Sandman comic books by Neil Gaiman). I challenged the palette used for this mural, and forced myself to be more careful with highly saturated colors and highly contrasting values. 

Thank you to Daniil Viryachev, Natalya Viryacheva, Nathan Pope and the City of Vancouver.

"Bard" is located in the alleway between West 4th and West 3d Avenue on Columbia Street.