In late 2021, as preparations for constructing City Gardens’ Trillium Tower were underway, Kelson Group faced the task of demolishing or relocating old houses in downtown Kamloops within the development area. Of the 20 houses to be removed, 12 were identified for potential relocation, one of which was a distinctive little pink house on 430 Nicola Street.
To preserve the neighbourhood and houses’ history for future generations, Ron Fawcett, founder, and executive director of Kelson Group, commissioned local artist Debbie Milner-Lively to create original paintings of the old houses in the area, including the little pink house.
As a professional artist for the last 30 years, Debbie has dedicated her entire career to painting the world around her, infusing each piece with emotion, depth, and a sense of connection to the past.
“Ron and Rae called me and asked me to meet them on 4th Ave where City Gardens was to be built. We walked around the block, and they asked if I’d be willing to paint numerous paintings of all the houses that would be taken down. It was a definite yes for me,” recalled Debbie. “I love history, and each one of these wonderful homes was filled with stories of all who had lived in them.”
With over 1300 reference photos taken, and countless hours spent on location, Debbie poured her heart and soul into preserving the stories embedded within each house with just a brush and some paint.
“When taking reference photos of the houses, the charming house on 430 Nicola Street stood out to me because of the faded old pink shingles and all the items, chairs, and flowers strewn all over the front porch. This house, like all the others, holds countless stories. I kept those stories in mind as I translated them onto canvas.”
Selecting a photo she felt best reflected the house’s character, Debbie began by sketching in pencil on a 30 x 40-inch canvas, recalling the lengthy process used to capture all the details accurately. Afterwards, she toned the canvas in a bright orange and proceeded to paint.
Debbie explained that her technique for breathing life back into the house involved combining transparent and opaque paints, using palette knives to create texture, and then adding fun brush strokes to make it more than just a copy of the photo.
“It has given me so much joy, and I feel honoured to have been asked to paint these homes. Kelson Group has honoured the history and people of these homes by commissioning me to capture them in painting,” said Debbie.
Today, the little pink house finds itself nestled in the community of McLure, approximately 45 kilometers north of Kamloops, and is now occupied by Owen Jones and his family.
“Once we knew we wanted to relocate one of the homes in the downtown block being developed, we selected the little pink house based on its great exterior character and its overall suitability for our family,” shared Jones. “Another factor is that its design lent to a fairly straightforward relocation process. The shape of it made it easier to transport and meant it required less rebuilding once it made its way to our property.”
Since then, the house’s exterior has been repainted in a heritage color scheme and the family is rebuilding the front porch to its original size and style.
“Without the little pink house, we don’t know where we would be! We feel incredibly blessed to live in a home with such a comfy feel and unique history. We couldn’t be happier with being in McLure; it’s a great community with wonderful people who have helped and encouraged us through the whole process,” added Jones.
As the family has plans for additional restoration and expansion in the future, the enduring power of art will capture the essence and preserve the memories of the little pink house for generations to come.
All paintings from the old houses will hang in The Trillium Tour Lobby and on each floor as people enter and exit the elevators.
For those interested, prints of the paintings can be ordered on paper or giclée print on canvas in numerous sizes. Contact Debbie at debbiemilnerlivley@gmail.com
Coming soon… Part 3: Little Pink House
