‘The Empress Mural in Montague Harbour’, by artist A. Michael Shumate, is available to view at 564 Main St at Home Hardware, courtesy of the Three Rivers Art Trail!

By the end of the “Golden Age of Sail” Canada was the top shipbuilding nation in the world. During that same time, Prince Edward Island was the top shipbuilding province in Canada. Almost every river on PEI had one shipyard, sometimes more. The Island abounded in quality lumber ideal for building ships and for trade. The Empress, a three masted schooner, was the largest ship built at the George Wightman shipyard in Montague that remained in service in Montague. The mural was based on a photograph taken in 1905 with a glass negative and supplied by the PEI Archives. Colour reproductions of this mural are available at Artisans on Main.

About the Artist

Island artist A. Michael Schumate has been a commercial illustrator and graphic designer for over forty years. He was also a Professor of Graphic Design for twenty-five years at the St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario. His illustration work has been used all over the world through The Image Bank. Michael has painted many murals on PEI for such clients as the PEI Department of Tourism, Co-op Island Food Centres and McDonalds Restaurants. Michael has also painted the historical mural that is on the side of the Old General Store in Murray River.