By Michael Riley, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The Riddle Me This summer event is upon us here in Bancroft! From Aug. 15 to Oct. 3, A Place for the Arts and the
Muse Gallery and Café are sponsoring an exciting event, inviting the public, residents and visitors to our area to come
and take a closer look at the “Embrace” mural on the west side of the Whitfield building which houses APFTA and the
Muse. The mural welcomes everyone who comes into town on Hwy. 62 and Hwy. 28, and its vibrant colours and abstract
them of nature “warm the heart of our community,” according to Gayle Crosmaz, marketing and communications with
APFTA. Crosmaz comments to The Bancroft Times about this event running through the fall.
The 44-foot-long mural, called “Embrace” is on the west side of the Whitfield building at 23 Bridge Street, and the
mural renewal was requested by the building's owner Burke Chamberlin. It was painted by artists ranging in age from
five years old to 80 years old, and overlaid two giant dragonflies and a firefly as a basis for the collage design, with some
sections of the original mural as the background that weren't too badly damaged, as they develop segments of the design
with the new art. Algonquin First Nations artists to created representations of Algonquin teachings in art form, from their
Wawatesi (firefly in Algonquin) Cultural Discovery Project along the river's edge. The giant firefly in the middle of the
mural was reserved for First Nations' teaching and history. Some sections of Roosman's original mural were kept as the
background as they were still viable, and the new sections were placed over top of them to create a new hybrid artwork.
Coe Hill based Roosman was a lithographer, designer of books, stage sets and murals, illustrator and painter, who was a
renowned and award-winning freelance artist for over 25 years. The original mural, unveiled 12 years ago, depicted the
history of Bancroft and area since the arrival of the settlers but had become sun damaged in recent years and sections of
it needed to be replaced. Those that were still salvageable were treated with varnish to preserve for posterity along with
the newly painted sections. Sadly, Roosman passed way on Jan. 15, 2026, but according to Debbie Christie, director with
APFTA, he had earlier given his blessing for the project.
The following artists lent their considerable talents to revitalizing the mural; Jenn Aboui, Ivy Acorn, Jewell Allington,
Barbara Allport, Angela Arnott-Bates, R. Bendall, Chas Burke, Hope Capstick, Nic Capstick, Sky Capstick, Storm
Capstick, Koda Carrierre, Marisol Carillo, John Christie, Luann Coghlan, Gayle Crosmaz, Jenn Dalaney, Alice Doutre,
Rebecca Doutre, Renee Fellbaum, Abby Fry, A. Fuller, Kelsey Fuller, Jane Hall, Meryl Hall, Kathy Haycock, Kate
Hebdon, Chris Houston, Bill Kafka, Katie Kafka, David Kay, Beverly Lewis, Cortney Lynn, Courtney Maclellan,
Kathyern Maclellan, Finnan McCabe, Ketha Newman, Elizabeth Raymond, Reid Raymond, Rory Raymond, I. Robinson,
Manuela Schmidlechner, Jackie Share, Jenna Shewen, Venessa Sorrell, Sally Svenningson, Linda Symons, Amelia Taylor,
Robin Tinney, Erica Tripp, Lynne Vegter, Jane Venner, Leilah Ward and Donna Wiebe. The mural was sponsored by
APFTA, Burke Chamberlin, the Algonquin Arts Council, Wisdom Drums International, It Stix Signs and Graphics, BMR
Lumber, the Muse Gallery and Café, and Maynooth Station Lodge.
Crosmaz says that the event features a set of riddles about the imagery depicted in the mural, both in Roosman's original
painting and the newer facets of the work. She said that they encourage folks to look more closely at the details of the
mural paintings and the artists who painted them.
“The riddle questions can be answered by looking at the mural itself, the mural booklet we published, which features the
artists and their work. A copy of the booklet can be viewed or obtained at [APFTA] to assist you with your discoveries.
You may know several of the artists and sponsors involved in this community project. Now honor their creations by
participating in their artistic world. At the end of each Saturday listed, we will select the submission that has the most
correct answers. They will be awarded with a gift coupon from the A Place for the Arts and the Muse Gallery & Café,”
she says.
Crosmaz says that the last submission deadline is Oct. 3 at noon, and that the announcement will be made at the Cultural
Days event at Millennium Park by Debbie Christie. She says that for the winning submission for each of the eight
Saturdays that the event runs, the prizes are as follows; a $20 gift certificate toward the next purchase of an original piece
of art at APFTA, a 10 per cent off coupon from the Muse Café for the winning submission for that Saturday for each of
the eight Saturdays that the event runs, and a grand prize gift basket which will be awarded at the end of the summer on
Oct. 3. The grand prize basket courtesy of Crosmaz and Wisdom Drums International, will consist of a Kettle Drum
worth $250, a gift certificate for $40 from the Muse Café and Gallery and Liz Raymond, a stain glass pinwheel worth
$20 from Debbie Christie at APFTA, a painting from APFTA artist Luann Coghlan worth $75, a painting and a painted
ornament from APFTA artist Kelsey Fuller worth $155, and knitted hats and cowl from APFTA artist Leilah Ward.
According to Crosmaz, more donations are in the works, and that the basket is not included. She says if there is more
than one submission with the correct number of answers, they'll gather the winning submissions for a random draw to
select the final winner of the day and then those winning names will be re-entered for the end of the season grand prize
draw.
Crosmaz told The Bancroft Times said she'll be on hand at the gallery every Saturday during the event, despite falling
and breaking her hip recently, although she says she is slowly getting around again.
“My hope for this event is to invite the public come closer to view the artwork on the mural, and read the names on the
honour plaque. We would like the stories and faces of the artists of all ages to been noted and to the watch the amazing
love filled documentary of the project as it was created. You saw the film and seen how everyone responded with such
love. With regard to how the mural got started; I am fairly new to the community of Bancroft and wondered how I could
reach out and connect with the community. I had no plan or idea until I was asked to help find a way to restore Arni

Rosman's mural. I had created a community mural in Warkworth back in 1998 and it still stands today as a testament of
community love. I knew this could work here as well. And wow, what a response we received from the community and
its artists,” she says. “Blessings and thank you all!”