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?
A survey was conducted in March about the next steps for the Big Easel. Over the two weeks that the survey was open, 589 responses were received, equivalent to over 13.4% of Altona’s population.
The following information was the result of the survey.
The Big Easel should continue to exist as a landmark in Altona.
- 68% of respondents deemed this important (46% very important 22% somewhat important)
- 32% of respondents deemed this as not important (6% somewhat unimportant, 26% not important at all)
The Big Easel should continue to hold a painting (hand-painted art)
- 60% of respondents deemed this important (36% very important, 24% somewhat important)
- 40% of respondents deemed this as not important (8% somewhat unimportant, 32% not important at all)
The Big Easel should continue to display an image of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers
- 61% of respondents deemed this important (40% very important, 21% somewhat important)
- 39% of respondents deemed this as not important (7% somewhat unimportant, 32% not important at all)
56% of respondents indicated that the next steps for the easel should be funded through a combination of community initiatives and municipal budget, with 33% indicating funding should be primarily through community initiatives.
Upon reviewing these responses, Council has decided to proceed with the replacement of the painting, with an estimated cost of $70,000.
In listening to the responses from the community that the project should be funded through a combination of community initiatives and municipal dollars, Council is looking for members of the community who would like to step forward as leaders in fundraising and community initiatives. If you would like to be involved in helping raise funds for this project, or have a fundraising idea, please contact Communications Officer Sarah Cail at communications@altona.ca or 204-324-6468. Charitable donations can also be made directly to the Town of Altona at the Altona Civic Centre at 111 Centre Ave E, or e-transfer to reception@altona.ca with a memo regarding the purpose of the donation and your full name and mailing address.