Pacific Northwest Forest Floor
Anais Lera’s mural for the Surrey Nature Centre takes inspiration from the flora and fauna of Green Timbers Urban Forest.
Artist: Anais Lera
Location: Surrey Nature Centre
Category: Civic collection
Year Installed: 2024
About Pacific Northwest Forest Floor
Anais Lera’s mural for the Surrey Nature Centre takes inspiration from the flora and fauna of Green Timbers Urban Forest. Each plant, animal and fungi that is depicted in the mural can be found in the surrounding forest ecosystem.
Anais focused her gaze specifically on the forest floor. It lies between the treetops and the underlying soil, composed of multiple layers and integral to the forest’s cycle process. She represented native species including plants, amphibians, insects, mushrooms, and trees, choosing each for their role in Surrey’s forest ecosystem and their distinct, recognizable shapes. This allows the mural to be an educational tool for Surrey Nature Centre staff, as well as a vibrant and dynamic artwork.
About the Artist
Anais is an illustrator, painter and muralist living in Vancouver. Originally from the South of France, she spent her childhood between the mountains and the ocean. Growing up with a passion for biology, she explored her surroundings with a microscope. This profoundly shaped her artistic practice today. Her work depicts vibrant and intricate ecosystems, toeing the border of science and fiction. Anais paints vivid and complex compositions of flora and fauna filled with meticulously detailed elements collected from scientific observations and pure imagination.
Anais has participated in numerous mural festivals such as the Vancouver Mural Festival, Squamish Mural Festival, and the BUMP Mural Festival. She has exhibited her work across Canada and internationally.
