Artist`s Save the World Tour

When artist Wayne Ashley hears about tragic events he responds by creating his tile mosaic artwork and gifting that work to people who are suffering.  Recently Ashley heard about the murder of five-year-old Taliyah Marsman and her mother Sara Baillie in Calgary.  He responded by creating a tile mosaic of a mother bear and cub for Taliyah’s grandmother and Sara’s mother Janet Fredette when she is ready to receive it.  The faces of Taliyah and Sarah are laser-inscribed into the granite.

He made a companion piece which he drove from his home in Edmonton to the Calgary police department whose members were traumatized in searching for the missing little girl.  

Wayne Ashley presents artwork to Calgary police

One of the Calgary constables emailed his thanks saying that Ashley deserved “a thousand thanks and, much like us, you will not see how many lives you have touched until we meet again.” (Gareth Hampshire, CBC News July 25, 2016) 

The artist has been creating these pieces for years.  After 911, Ashley created a five panel piece which he loaded in his truck and drove from Alberta to New York.  The piece is now installed in a Staten Island Park as a memorial to the first responders who lost their lives in the aftermath.

The First Law of World Peace installed in Staten Island

This 49 year old artist was born and raised in Edmonton.  He is a self taught artist who is also a member of Driftpile First Nation.  One of his pieces, “Unity” is on the First Nation and is a response to racism.

He has also made pieces to commemorate the murdered and missing Indigenous women.  Recently his work was installed in the Edmonton city hall to remember the first responders in that city who have lost their lives in the course of taking care of the community.

“I have to do this because I feel in my heart there’s a lot of people who do a lot of good and they carry a lot of dark things with them,” said Ashley (Gareth Hampshire, CBC news July 20, 2016).

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Ashley made a piece to honour the 20 children who died and drove it to the US.  On the way home he ran out of money and had to sleep in his truck.  The US police officer who woke him up to see what he was doing was moved when he showed her photos of his work and told him his story.  She got him a hotel room for the night, paid for his breakfast the next morning and filled his truck with gas.

His piece  "Ascending"  is a memorial to honour those buried in unmarked graves at Holy Cross Cemetery in St. Albert.  He has also created memorials for slain police officers David Wynn and Daniel Woodall.

Wayne Ashley with one of his pieces

Ashley works concrete jobs in the summertime and gives the pieces without financial compensation.  He wants to give something from the heart without financial consideration.  Father Jim Holland of Sacred Heart of the First People`s Church says his friend, "helps people to see life in a different way."  There are people who support Ashley so he can continue with his work.

Mike Fluker was working as a security consultant on a construction site when he met Ashley who was trying to recover tile from the demolition.  They became friends and Fluker is one of the people who helps to support Ashley financially.  He feels it makes him a part of this labour of love.

Some of the pieces which are installed outside need repair.  Ashley will be visiting them and doing repairs.  He calls it his "Save the World" tour because he believes each piece brings goodwill that he hopes will help others deal with sadness.  You can hear Ashley speak about his work on CBC.  He says he wants to make the world a better place for the people who he loves and for those they love and so on. His open heart will surely inspire you.