Paroisse

Karen has also completed several tableaus, which act like miniature murals. They are located in St. Jean Baptiste Park. The mural focused on the church and how it was, in many ways, the center of the community. The various costumes worn by the townsfolk references how people from many different ethnic groups come together to form a village.

A portrait of Father Morin is shown on the left. He is a symbol to the town of Morinville, as he has done many things for the community. When he worked as a missionary, he helped recruit over 600 families for the fields of Central Alberta. He also served as Morinville’s postmaster and helped bring the town its first telephone line.

When first asked to paint this tableau, Karen created a colored draft of the picture. It was collage that ran vertically and the images contained a full spectrum of color. However, the committee asked her to present a second idea. Karen returned equipped with a plain, horizontal scene, devoid of color. The committee loved it, and so came the idea of a monochromatic picture.