Since Apr. 2010, when I first launched our rolling series on outdoor bike art work, there has been a recurring theme whenever the image of a cyclist
Scene evokes irrespressible fun. Tweedsmuir Elementary School. New Westminister, BC. Photo by John Steil, 2010.
is interwoven into art: fun, play, freedom and oneness with nature and companionship. No wonder why images of cyclists, young and old, are often tucked in outdoor art work installed on schools. I featured some art work in a previous bike art blog post, but now here’s more.
A comic figure of an older gentleman on his fixie pink bike is featured in one of the art panels at Tweedsmuir Elementary School in New Westminister, BC. Elsewhere on the same school, a smiling carefree (Oops, nearly misspelled as car-free.) woman cyclist cruises along while balanced on her saddle with an ice cream cone in one hand.
To slow down slideshow, place mouse cursor over slide below to see slideshow controls for pausing.
Elsewhere in Burnaby at Kitchener Elementary School, is bike art work of a cycling racer emblazoned with flashy multicultural and multi-faith badges. This cyclist has no need to assimilate and hide among cars or in the landscape. Whereas in the mural mounted at Eagle Head Elementary School, a bike is nearly hidden by beach grasses and driftwood among beach strollers and a soccer player.
Cyclist heading to favourite place --a bakery. Part of mural at Victoria Dr., near Ridgeway bike route. Vancouver, BC. Photo by John Steil, 2011
At times, the cyclist is part of a much bigger landscape mural. At Victoria Dr. where it crosses near the Ridgeway bike route in Vancouver, there are two different cyclists heading in various directions against a ridge of mountains and the Vancouver skyline. Happily one of the cyclists, will haunt a spinner’s favourite stopover –a bakery.
More bike art, in the shape of mandalas, was recently installed along the planters at the community gardens on the front lawn of Vancouver city hall.
One of the community based art mandalas installed along the side of raised community garden beds on front lawn at city hall. This one is bike-inspired where cycling has its place in network of roads. Vancouver BC 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker
The art work was created from city sponsored 2010 summer art program in the Mount Pleasant area for residents and the homeless. The Cycleback Art Outreach Program was led by effusive Jamie Ollivier who cycled around on his recumbent bike, with art supplies to community centres and parks to deliver his program to adults, teens and children as well as the homeless. The bike art work is a fitting flourish for the community gardens and for Mayor Robertson’s vision of Vancouver as Greenest City, since he was a farmer and still a long time, daily bike commuter between home and city hall.
More bike-themed mandala art. City hall community gardens. 2010 Vancouver, BC. Photo by HJEH Becker
Bikes and community gardens are really not so far apart. Vancouver’s bike routes are close to many community gardens. There is even a map that helps you check out some gardens by bike. Like sustainable living, eating and travelling, bike art feeds us memories and dreams of unchained bliss.
Note: There are now over 50 different outdoor bike art works in Metro Vancouver. Other bike art pieces are featured in articles below.
Additional Articles:
Chong, Jean. Bike Inspired Outdoor Art. Third Wave Cycling Blog. Apr. 29, 2010.
Chong, Jean. Stripping More Metaphorical Wallpaper to Rediscover Outdoor Public Bike Art in Vancouver and beyond. Part 2. Third Wave Cycling Blog. Aug. 24, 2010.
Chong, Jean. Stripping More Metaphorical Wallpaper to Rediscover Outdoor Public Bike Art in Vancouver and beyond. Part 3. Third Wave Cycling Blog. Sept. 6, 2010.
City of Vancouver. Community Garden Walking and Cycling Tours. (Self-Guided with map.)
Steil, John. Public Art in Vancouver: Angels Among Lions: 500+ Works of Art to Discover. http://www.johnsteil.com
Third Wave Cycling Blog 
Excellent, you must have put some time and miles in collecting all those pictures. I love the racer and the bike at the beach especially.
Well, for the photos that are marked with myself as the photographer. The other person is a local artist and book author who has book and interest in outdoor public art in our region. He just happens to be a cyclist also which is why he takes such photos along the way.
It’s alot of travelling in our region. For a 100 kms. radius there are over 500+ outdoor public art of which 50 are bike-themed.
Yes, it keeps one healthy to document in this way!
I adore this post. It’s a terrfic one. As usual your images are so eye catching and so well captioned. Blog on! 🙂
I will miss writing this series on outdoor bike art. It’s been great fun. It really is a sport that provides artistic inspiration from many different angles in different formats.
[…] Jean Chong’s latest (and maybe last) feature on bike art: “Affirmations of Fun in Metro Vancouver- Part 4“ […]
How cool! What a great collection of photographs. Makes me think I’m going to start seeing cyclists in art everywhere myself too 🙂
Only less than 2 years ago I started to notice this outdoor public art for these article series. Before, I blithely passed by this permanent artwork and scarcely paid attention or ignored it completely. Hope you have good stuff in your region.
Thanks for this compilation of Bike Art.
Like Bike Lit it is inspirational and serves to show how some of the best minds of in the business of Art and Lit view the charming, fascinating, oh-so-down-to-earth bicycle.
Indeed, if the bicycle is to become an integral part of tomorrow’s cities in motion, I think we should build up the bike so that it can occupy an aspirational place in the collective consciousness of our cities.
Glad you enjoyed the series. I love the diversity of cycling which can be explored artistically and yes, culturally from several different angles. Culturally meaning cycling culture ranging from outdoor rebel, hipster, sports and “nerdy” (gasp) ordinary dressed cyclist.
[…] For photos of 50 more different outdoor bike art works: Chong, Jean. More Outdoor Bike Art in Metro Vancouver. Feb. 2, Guerilla art: yarn bombing of bike racks by Dunsmuir St. separated bike lanes. […]
I was very excited to find your four blog posts about cycling and art in Vancouver. What a great compilation you have made and I’m so glad you are finding more and more. Thank you for doing this!I love the book Public Art in Vancouver by John Steil and Aileen Stalker – it is a fantastic resource.
I am building a blog of easy rides for families called: letsgobiking.net
It’s fun exploring, especially with a theme. With book in hand I set out to find art along the Ridgeway Greenway and here my post: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6071649611720744680#editor/target=post;postID=3201866081546447303
With your permission I’d like to add a link to your art and cycling posts.
Sincerely, Colleen MacDonald … colleenmacd@gmail.com
With a reference to our blog title posts from this blog, etc. along with the link for any photos or quotes, that would be greatly appreciated. Yes, J.Steil’s book is a fantastic resource. Our balmier weather in Metro Vancouver, makes it easier to install certain types of public art since we don’t experience extreme temperatures of cold and many more weeks of snow compared to rest of the Canada.
Great! I’d love to join you and John on an art exploration ride one day.