Born on Christmas Day to a woman named Mary Magdalene, Paul Archer (鈥楢rcher鈥�), came into the world already turning heads.

Now, nearly 62 years later, it is his large-scale murals that have people talking.

Archer has created over 90 murals across Grand Forks, working towards his dream of painting an entire town while spreading positivity and improving tourism.

鈥淚 believe the city should actually reach out and get something done as you enter and as you exit, you know, 鈥榃elcome to Grand Forks, home of grand murals.鈥� It doesn鈥檛 have to have my name on it; it doesn鈥檛 have to be 鈥楢rcher Murals鈥�; it doesn鈥檛 have to focus on me,鈥� he told Black Press Media in a phone interview.

Archer鈥檚 first mural in Grand Forks was created during the summer of 2019, when the owner of the Wooden Spoon Bistro commissioned him to paint a one-story portrait of her daughter licking a spoon.

He has since added murals across the city, including at the Boardroom Caf茅 and Aquatic Centre 鈥� often using the actual citizens of Grand Forks in his work.

Archer has also worked on many other notable buildings across the province, including the Vancouver Airport, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver Planetarium, BC Place and the Vancouver Canucks dressing room.

Always an artist 鈥� in different media

As a child, he always knew he wanted to pursue a career as an artist, even when the adults in his life weren鈥檛 so supportive.

鈥淢y dad asked me when I was 11 what I wanted to do when I grow up, and I said, 鈥榃ell, it鈥檚 pretty obvious, I want to be an artist.鈥� And he says, 鈥極h, no, no, you can鈥檛 do that. Make that a hobby,鈥欌�� Archer said.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not me. It鈥檚 not in me that I wouldn鈥檛 want to do something for the rest of my life that would make me happy.鈥�

Archer got his start in the art world airbrushing T-shirts in Victoria, until a nightclub owner approached him to create a mural in his venue. Accepting the challenge, Archer was forced to make an instantaneous 鈥渂rain flip鈥� to transition his art for the larger canvas.

He worked overnight to complete the mural, eventually falling asleep on one of the booths. In the morning, the nightclub owner was thrilled.

鈥淭hey handed me a brown envelope. I opened it up, there鈥檚 $1,500 in it, and then I went, okay, well, this is where I could actually make some half-decent money.鈥�

From there, Archer honed his craft, travelling around the world to create large-scale art for clients. His career has led him to meet big names such as Rob Zombie, Snoop Dogg, Black Sabbath, Sean Connery, Lenny Kravitz, Cheech and Chong, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne and many more.

He even turned down the chance to work with Disney, twice, opting to remain his own boss.

Community created through art

Despite all his global success, Archer chooses to stay in Grand Forks 鈥� the place he calls home. Imagineably, the question of why is something he鈥檚 asked often.

For Archer, it started after the tragic 2018 floods that rocked the community. After that first Wood Spoon project, he started receiving more requests, including to paint the Davis Building and Boardroom Cafe.

鈥淥nce I started doing the bigger ones, I noticed people were repainting the front of their shops; people were hanging flowers outside of their shops. All of a sudden, the cardboard came off the windows, the sandbags started to get thrown out, and everybody started collectively coming together and fixing up the downtown core 鈥� I believe 鈥� because the murals started happening.鈥�

Looking ahead, Archer is expanding his horizons by creating a film and photobook.

He also hopes to create a series of calendars showcasing his Grand Forks works paired with inspirational quotes.

While still in the early stages, Archer shared that the film would explore his life and journey as an artist, highlighting his work in Grand Forks.

鈥淚鈥檓 doing exactly what I love to do, and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 putting out a book and a documentary, to inspire young artists or even people that want to get back into art that are talented; to inspire them to not have to listen to 鈥榯he man鈥� or have to punch a time clock or have to do this or faster, stand in the line. Break some rules, have some fun with your life,鈥� he said.

鈥淚鈥檝e travelled the world. I鈥檝e seen every band I鈥檝e wanted to; I鈥檝e checked off my entire bucket list. I鈥檝e done everything I鈥檝e wanted. And now, the last thing on my bucket list, really, is the documentary.鈥�