Remembering Hornepayne’s Station Murals

By: Linda Joyce Ott

Jan 27 2026

Tags: , , , , ,

Category: Architecture, Buildings, Canada, Creativity, Culture, foto, fotographia, Good News, Inspiration, paintings, Photo Art, Photography, Photos, Trains, Travel

2 Comments

Aperture:f/8
Focal Length:35mm
ISO:100
Shutter:1/0 sec
Camera:Canon EOS REBEL T5i

Before the former Canadian National Railway station in Hornepayne, Ontario was demolished in 2020, its boarded‑up windows held something extraordinary: hand‑painted murals created through a community arts project. These vibrant panels transformed the brick station into a living gallery.

Hornepayne was born of the rails, and for decades the station stood as the town’s beating heart. The murals, layered with weather, time, and the touch of many hands, captured that spirit. They were stories painted in public view – scenes of nature, work, history, and imagination – each one a reminder of how art can anchor a place even as the world shifts around it.

I’m grateful to have photographed these murals before the building disappeared. Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing close‑ups of each panel: the textures, colours, brushstrokes, and small details that might otherwise have been lost. This series is a celebration of community art, a tribute to a vanished landmark, and a way of keeping Hornepayne’s creative legacy alive.

To see my books & recent photo art portfolios, go to Amazon. For my photos & art, check out my website, my YouTube channel & my Photo Art Portfolios at MagCloud. Selected works for sale through Saatchi Art. I’m on Instagram. Follow me, if you like!

My Optimism of Color Blog

Every Tuesday and Friday, I post a photo or piece of art that I’ve created that reflects what I call the Optimism of Color. Through vibrant colors and bold visceral forms, these works shout out my joy at being alive, and my good fortune at being able to continue to make art after surviving five cardiac arrests in one night in 2011.

Each of the images I post brings a smile to my face. I hope they bring you similar joy and laughter through the Optimism of Color.

All photos © Linda Joyce Ott 2026

Links may be used provided that credit is given to optimismofcolor.com.

2 comments on “Remembering Hornepayne’s Station Murals”

  1. The murals are wonderful! 😊


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