Sharon Pearsall’s artistic flair doesn’t rub off, and that’s good for children and families who have enjoyed her handiwork for decades at Five Counties Children’s Centre.
The indelible impression that Sharon painted on the north-facing wall of the gym at Five Counties’ location in Peterborough is still very much evident.
Her giant mural — approximately 25-feet wide and 13-feet high — featuring a mix of rainbows, giraffes, cats, children, bubbles, and fun is as bright and vivid as it was on the day she completed it in July 1981.
“Having the opportunity to do this mural, it was kind of groundbreaking because you get the tap on the shoulder that you’ve been selected to do it,” says Sharon, a now-retired teacher who, in the summer of 1981, had just graduated from Adam Scott Collegiate in Peterborough.
“It’s affirming, because you feel you’re making the right choices in life.”
Back in 1981, before she got the “tug” to go into teaching as a career, Sharon had her sights set on pursuing art studies at OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) in Toronto. To allow her to continue doing art that summer, Zoltan Temesy — her art teacher from Adam Scott at the time — arranged for her to do the mural project at Five Counties.
VIDEO: Sharon’s Story – Leaving a Lasting Impression
The aim was to give Sharon a chance to work on a large ‘canvas’ to create a scene that exuded welcome and fun for child clients using the treatment space at Five Counties. The mural also coincided with 1981 being designated as the International Year of the Disabled Person by the United Nations.
For Sharon, creating the mural design first involved researching what Five Counties did and who it served, so as to create something that was appropriate for the gym wall. It also meant channelling her own inner child.
“I put myself into the zone of being a child again, seeing what a child would like to see, what activities a child would enjoy in this gymnasium,” she says. “And I opened it up so it would be indoor and outdoor activities. Just my cartooning, love for drawing and colour, and going big. Painting big.”
Giraffes and cats are among the many whimsical animals found in the mural — no surprise given Sharon’s love for them. Children of different abilities, cultures, walks of life, and personalities also appear throughout it.
While the gym wall provided plenty of space to create, it also posed its challenges. Teetering atop a ladder propped on two tables to paint the faces on giraffes may not have been the safest way to do things, Sharon admits, but it worked out in the end.
“The real treat for me was when some of the kids would come in to watch me paint,” Sharon notes.
Forty-four years on, the giant mural has proven its durability — and worth — for both parties.
“This was a great opportunity for me to showcase my talents, work with the community, and give back,” says Sharon.
For kids, families and visitors to Five Counties, Sharon’s landmark (or wall mark) creation still resonates and brings countless smiles to those who see it.
Five Counties Children’s Centre is marking 50 years in 2025 of supporting children and families in Peterborough, Northumberland County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County. Find out more at www.fivecounties.on.ca/50years/.
