In 1996, artist and art educator Cameron Cross was teaching in Altona. He had a dream of a giant steel easel, holding a likeness of one of Van Gogh’s seven still life paintings of Sunflowers in tribute to Altona’s status as Sunflower Capital of Canada, and the annual Sunflower Festival. He presented his concept to the Altona and District Chamber of Commerce in 1997, and in 1998 the project was born and the very first Big Easel went up. In 1999, another was erected in Altona’s twin city, Emerald, Australia, and then in 2001 another went up in Goodland, Kansas.
Today, the giant easel is a recognizable symbol of Altona and is woven into the fabric of the community. Altona’s wordmark and other branding even draws inspiration here – the customized typeface is loosely based on the distinct handwriting style of Vincent Van Gogh, using thick and thin contrasting strokes to mimic the look created by a painter’s brush.
History of Restoration:
2017 Restoration ProjectIn 2017, the painting was taken down and refurbished by artist Cameron Cross. These repairs were needed due to water damage and wear and tear, and included bringing the entire easel down to ground level, replacing some of the wood, adding fiberglass, grinding loose paint, sanding, painting, and adding a clear-coat to protect it from future damage.
It was also bolted to the easel before being put back up, instead of welded, to allow the painting to come back down again more easily in the future, without bringing the entire easel to the ground. At that time, there were structural problems identified with the original construction, which have not been seen in the other two installations as they used different materials. The repairs were estimated to give the painting 7-10 more years of life, based on the state of the structure behind the painting.
Where are we now?
In 2023, six years after the restoration work, wear and tear began to show again on the painting. The Town began gathering information on costs to repair, and it has since become clear that a large-scale restoration would be needed – not a small fix. Some of the wood panels are rotting, causing the paint to peel away, and at the end of February/beginning of March 2025, high winds caused a lot of damage to the painting, making it clear that the canvas was no longer structurally sound. A craning company has been hired to remove the painting from the easel, leaving the easel standing empty for now.
What’s Next?
After 27 years, the painting on the big easel has reached the end of its lifespan, and the Town of Altona wants YOUR feedback on where to go from here.There are a few options to consider:
Restoration:
Restore based on the original vision: build a new canvas structure using marine grade plywood this time, have artist paint a new large-scale reproduction of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and seal and reinstall the painting onto the easel.
Estimated Lifespan: 25 + years
Estimated Cost: $70,000
Replacement:
Replace the image with a print: build a new canvas structure using marine grade plywood, have a large-scale print reproduction of Van Gogh’s sunflowers created by a sign company, and install it onto the easel.
Estimated Lifespan: 8-10 years
Estimated Cost: $27,000
Removal:
Remove the landmark entirely.
Estimated Cost: $20,000+
Other Ideas:
We are open to hearing your suggestions for where to go from here! A survey was held from March 17th - March 31st, and results will be available following the April 8th, 2025 meeting of Council.