JAKE JOHNSTON
Crossing Paths: A New West End Mural

(click images to enlarge)

A topic of some speculation in West End circles lately has been the work-in-progress appearance of a pavement mural at 1800 Davie Plaza next to Morton Park. Well, this month the new mural called Crossing Paths was completed. The work is the creation of geometric assemblage artist Jake Johnston; he’s also known as ‘TikTok,’ a pseudonym he adopted way back in 2004.

*Crossing Paths* by jake Johnston. *(Image courtesy of WEBIA)*

A collaboration between the West End Business Improvement Association (WEBIA), Vancouver Mural Festival, and the City of Vancouver, Crossing Paths brightens a block that has been closed to vehicle traffic for quite some time.

“Other than being situated between beautiful English Bay and Morton Park, and housing one of the city’s busiest Mobi stations, it is a rather dull and uninteresting space,” said WEBIA executive director Teri Smith.

“As part of the West End Waterfront Master Plan process this space is hoped to become a permanent public plaza,” Smith explained.

“Davie and Denman is an important intersection and gateway into the commercial areas and so this space represented a perfect opportunity for the West End BIA to imagine a more pedestrian-friendly experience. A ground mural is a great way to anchor the space, as well as add a pop of colour and vibrancy to the area,” Smith said.

The playful colours of Crossing Paths transform the blank surface of the road into a lively and exciting area of imagination, Johnston’s artist statement tells us.

Artist Jake Johnston, creator of *Crossing Paths*.

“The forms used in this composition reflect the cyclical patterns of surrounding pedestrian movements. “Crossing Paths” intends to bring joy and a sense of play that will inspire the community and the viewer to pause, reflect, and connect to the city they inhabit,” Johnston said.

Johnston’s youthful mischievousness initially brought him into the world of art via graffiti, teaching him the tools and techniques that he uses in his artwork today. His eye-catching pieces include wall-mounted and stand-alone sculptures. His large scale projects have ranged from school buses to festival pavilions and basketball courts, allowing the viewer to step inside his Geometric calculations.

A graduate of the graphic design program at Victoria’s Pacific Design Academy, Johnston has taken part in numerous exhibitions and projects in Vancouver, Victoria, Lanford, and Montreal. He has participated several times in the Vancouver Mural Festival, has been the mural artist at the Skookum and Squamish Valley Music Festivals, and took part in the Made From Scraps x Crafted series at Emily Carr and the recent Return of the 100 Amigos exhibition in Vancouver.

To learn more about Jake Johnston and view his portfolio, you can visit his website here.