Crabtree Hall - Honouring the Legacy of Glenn Carpenter

In 2024, I was honoured to be approached by the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick to paint a donor wall for their newly constructed building, Crabtree Hall. This beautiful new facility stands beside the current Glenn Carpenter Centre in Saint John—a place where, for 25 years, children in YMCA programs have come to experience the outdoors, the beautiful Ashburn Lake, and the freedom of playing green open spaces.

The Vision

Glenn Carpenter

As we discussed various ideas for the mural, I posed a key question: “What do you want this mural to represent?” The answer was clear: legacy. Specifically, the legacy of Glenn Carpenter, who had generously donated the land to the YMCA many years prior.

I suggested that the best way to honour him was to make him part of the donor wall itself. The family was contacted and asked if they had any photos of Glenn Carpenter as a young man or a child, and they graciously provided me with several black and white photos to work from. I also photographed the lake and hills surrounding the centre to anchor the design in its beautiful surroundings. 

The Symbolism of the Birch

The birch tree is an important symbol for the YMCA—its acronym, BIRCH, stands for Belonging, Inclusiveness, Responsibility, Caring and Honesty. This symbolism of the birch would drive the central design of the project and provide some literal structure to the list of donors. As this was a donor wall, the leaves of the Birch tree would be multi-coloured coloured, representing the levels of sponsorship for the Crabtree Hall project.  

The background foliage itself was done on two plexiglass sheets that would sit above the painted area. To create a rich, full background of branches for future door leaves, I painted the back of the semi-opaque plexiglass using handmade stamps. This was a very fun, messy, and experimental part of the project, as I got to make the stamps and pepper them on the back of the plexiglass. These stamped layers created lush, full birch tree canopies, allowing the donor leaves to truly stand out in the foreground. Anything that gets me messy makes me happy.

Some more little easter eggs were added to the donor wall by special request:

The Red Canoe: If you look carefully in the distant lake, you can spot a small red canoe with two figures, happily paddling away—a perfect little nod to the camp experience.

Forget-Me-Nots: The small Forget-Me-Nots in the foreground were also a special request. I have always loved them, and I was happy to include them as a symbol of remembrance.

The Importance of Nature and Well-Being

The Glenn Carpenter Centre and Crabtree Hall sit on a beautiful piece of land by Ashburn Lake, where children can canoe, kayak, swim, and otherwise engage in countless activities across this gem tucked away in this parcel of wilderness. Being out in nature is so powerful for our well-being; it brings us a sense of balance between our often-rushing urban lives and our sense of self as part of a larger living biosphere. We can feel ourselves connected to the Earth and the other forms of life around us directly through our physical bodies. We feel alive, rejuvenated and joyful. 

I am proud to have contributed my art to the new Crabtree Hall and to have captured the spirit and legacy of the land that will continue to enrich the lives of children here for generations to come. Want to learn more? Read about it at YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick.