An Artist Brings a Splash of Color to Canada

Marigold with Canadian artist and muralist Dean Stanton

Dean Stanton has been making art his entire life. A 1990 graduate of Alberta University of the Arts (formerly known as Alberta College of Art + Design), Stanton has a huge following in Canada. His work is easily recognizable and brings a smile to everyone who sees it.

I recently visited the artist in his studio in Calgary, Alberta. On the walls are reminders of his many colorful projects, including murals for schools, hospitals, and other public spaces. “Art is pure magic,” he says.

Many of Stanton’s murals begin with pre-outlined wood panels that several individuals paint. The panels are then assembled into large murals. The goal of such projects is to engage the community in the arts, allowing everyone to work together to create something fun and beautiful.

“Art can bring people together,” Stanton says, “by helping them to be able to express how they feel, with no target result.”

“Art can bring people together,” says Dean Stanton, whose murals are often community-based. 

“REALLY COOL STUFF”

Without Stanton’s brightly-colored murals in the heart of Calgary, the city would be dull and gray. The artist’s work can be seen not just in Calgary, but also across Canada, as well as in the United States, Europe, and Australia. 

When Stanton was growing up, he gravitated towards artists who made “really cool stuff,” including comic book artists, such movie directors as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and even architects. 

“Everyone in the whole world can appreciate art,” Stanton says. “It’s free and easy to implement.”