Altona’s iconic giant “Sunflowers” painting is back on the Big Easel, with artist Cameron Cross putting a new spin on the landmark he first painted nearly three decades ago.
The renewed painting was officially unveiled Tuesday morning, ahead of the Manitoba Sunflower Festival, after about six weeks of work by Cross. The cost of the restoration and renewal project was covered by the Town of Altona, sponsors and donors, as well as insurance.
Mayor Harv Schroeder said there were initially concerns about the cost after the damaged painting was removed and it became clear a new canvas would be needed.
“Community, if they back it, it will come and definitely community businesses backed it and council made the commitment, and here we are today and I think people are happy that it’s back up,” Schroeder said.
The project followed years of discussion about the landmark’s future after it was damaged. Community feedback ultimately showed support for keeping the painting as part of Altona.
A new take on a familiar painting
While the image remains inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Cross said people who remember the previous painting will notice differences.
“It doesn’t look like the version I did in ’98,” Cross said. “But I’m not as young as that anymore, and I thought it needed something different.”
Cross said his original approach in 1998 was to reproduce van Gogh’s work as closely as possible. This time, he brought more of his own style to the painting, including bolder colours and outlines.
“I put a little bit of my own stamp on it this time, and I made it up much more bold, bolder colors, bolder outlines,” Cross said.
The new canvas is made up of four panels weighing approximately 500 pounds each. Cross said the underlying structure includes 24 sheets of three-quarter-inch marine-grade plywood, two layers of fibreglass, gel coat, industrial primer, acrylic urethane enamel, and a clear coat.
“So this canvas is bulletproof, but please don’t shoot at it,” Cross joked during his remarks to the crowd.
Cross estimated he invested about six weeks in completing the project. That included preparing the panels, drawing the image across all four sections, painting them, and completing work after they were installed on the steel structure.
“It’s not a restoration, but it’s a brand new canvas,” he said.
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During Tuesday morning’s unveiling program, left to right; Portage-Lisgar M.P. Branden Leslie, Altona Mayor Harv Schroeder, Borderland MLA Josh Guenter and artist Cameron Cross
A tiny addition to a giant landmark
There is also something new hidden among the giant flowers, thanks to some young Altona residents.
Cross said a Grade 2-3 class at Ecole Elmwood School encouraged him to hide a ladybug in the painting, creating something of an “I Spy” challenge for people visiting the landmark.
“So at the very last minute, the very last thing I did was I found a spot and I painted the ladybug,” he said.
Cross said the addition was a fun way to finish a project that also brought challenges, including working outdoors during stretches of extreme heat and rain.
The Altona painting is one of three public art pieces in Cross’s van Gogh Sunflower project around the world, with others in Emerald, Australia, and Goodland, Kansas.
Cross said the Altona landmark continues to generate interest well beyond southern Manitoba, with messages reaching him from countries including Japan, India, Australia, and nations in Africa.
“So even though it’s a small-town monument, it’s known outside of Manitoba,” he said.
Landmark puts Altona on the map
Schroeder said support from businesses, private donors, the Town, and insurance helped move the project forward.
“Our insurance company did help out with the damages that were on the last one, so that just triggered us to move forward and put our portion in,” he said.
For Schroeder, the value of the painting extends beyond the structure itself. He said it connects to Altona’s sunflower and agricultural identity while drawing attention to the community and its wider arts scene.
“I think sometimes we don’t actually realize how big a deal this is,” Schroeder said. “It puts us on the map and it allows people to look at this and then they realize there’s another whole section of an art gallery on the other side of town (Gallery in the Park), which is phenomenal.”
Cross said he was thrilled to return to Altona and see the community’s continued support for a piece of public art that has become closely tied to the town.
“It’s incredible,” he said. “You know, back in ’98, you really have no idea. You’re just putting up a piece of public art, and you can’t think anything any more than that. But to see the evolution and the process unfold, it’s great.”
– With files from Chris Sumner –
A close up of the now back on display painting