COMMUNITY ENGAGED MURALS
I conceived, secured funding, produced, and engaged the community for the creation of this mural. I dreamed about it when I understood the depth of the Indigenous teachings from around the world about their connection and respect for Mother Nature. Their teachings invite us to connect and to be one with Mother Nature in a conscious way, to see her as the source of life, and to appreciate her unlimited gifts. To understand that we are a part of her and she is a part of us.
The creative process included two round tables that took place in January 2021 with the participation of Ottawa-based knowledge keepers from Algonquin, Inuit, Métis, Afro Caribbean, Latin American, Asian, African, and Oceanian cultures. Their teachings are the inspiration for the concept of the mural.
This 53 x 35 feet mural, which is the tallest in Ottawa, was painted with broad participation by the community and it is located at 1365 Bank St in Ottawa
the wisdom mural
Bank St Ottawa
TRANSFORMATION
The WOW Mural Ottawa
The Transformation mural celebrates Ottawa’s diversity, underlines the importance of inclusion, and promotes awareness about the contributions of newcomers to Ottawa. It is dedicated to immigrants and refugees. The eyes in the design depict Ottawa’s diversity, generosity, and compassion. The Transformation mural was created with the participation of nearly 90 members of the community as part of the Welcome Ottawa Week (WOW). It is located on Rideau St at 215 Wurtemburg St, Ottawa.
I was invited by the St. Laurent Shopping Centre, the Ottawa District School Board, DeSerres and MASC to create the Be You Mural in support of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada “Be You” national campaign to increase self-esteem and empower young women while celebrating their growth, diversity and self-worth. As part of this campaign, similar reproductions of the “Be You” mural were painted by kids in thirty cities across Canada. Created as a MASC artist.
BE YOU MURAL
St Laurent Shopping Centre
interconnected
Viscount Alexandre Public School
After brainstorming with Grade 5 & 6 students at Viscount Alexandre Public School for a new mural for the entrance hall of the school, we decided to paint representing Mother Nature as a colourful, peaceful, warm, and happy place where they would feelsafe and inspired to grow.
The keywords chosen by the students for the mural were Diversity, Inclusion, Community, Belonging, Friendship, Care, Forest, Phoenix (the school mascot), Biodiversity, Connections, and Acceptance. This mural is located at 55 Mann Ave, the main entrance of Viscount Alexandre PS. Created as a MASC artist.
This mural depicts a mosaic of fabrics from around the world in reverence to the flow of cultures in Canada and our common values of peace and freedom. The Canada coast-to-coast-to coast ocean images represent Mother Nature, our gratitude for her natural resources, pristine waters and air and peaceful environment. Also represented are Canada’s indigenous cultures and their relationship with Mother Nature, as well as Métis and Franco-Canadian cultures. The mural was inspired by Canada’s diversity and created with over fourty community members from around the world. We worked together for over four months and learned that our many differences made us a powerful and rich community. This mural is located at 3320 Paul Anka Dr, Ottawa.
CANADIAN PRIDE, HARMONY IN CULTURES
Canada’s 150th Confederation Anniversary official project
Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre
Inspired by Algonquin ancestral teachings and beautifully aligned with my Wisdom Mural, this mural was created with children, youth and staff at the Tomlinson Family Foundation Clubhouse to promote our understanding of the reconciliation process. Tomlinson Family Foundation Clubhouse is located at 1463 Prince of Wales Dr.
MOTHER NATURE
Tomlinson Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa
This mural was created with children and youth at the Don McGahan Club House of the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa. The mural communicates a strong environmental message, and it incorporates over 1,000 recycled caps gathered by the participant children and youth at the Club House as well as members of the community.
This mural embellishes the art room of the BGC located at 430 McArthur Ave, Ottawa
saving our planet
Eco-friendly mural at Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa
BIRDS OF BEAUTY
Robert Bateman Public School Ottawa
The Birds of Beauty mural at the Robert Bateman Public School was conceived as a tribute to Canadian naturalist and painter Robert Bateman for his love of nature and art. In the mural, birds from different parts of our planet are flying led by the Canadian Goose while being observed by an eagle above. The mural also pays homage to Mother Nature and to diversity, immigration, freedom, strength, and endurance. Created as a MASC artist.
This mural was commissioned by La Fab sur Mill co-op and an arts hub in Chelsea, Quebec for the hub’s home at the 150-year-old former United Church building on Mill Road.
Art is fluid as water, as wind, as roots and branches growing, as leaves in the air and as the passing of time through days and nights. Mother Nature is always transforming and evolving, in constant flow with the greater creative process of the Universe.
I feel honoured to have been commissioned this mural to embellish this heritage community art hub building in Chelsea, the artistic vibrant community I am now part of.
UNIVERSAL FLOW OF CREATIVITY
La Far sur Mill, Chelsea
Diversity
Viscount Alexander School Ottawa
This 36x8 feet mural is the first of four big murals I have had the honour to create working with students at Viscount Alexandre Public School. Over 120 students participated in the creation of this mural as part of MASC’s annual Awesome Arts Festival in Sandy Hill.
The message of this mural is that as human beings and a community we are colourful, growing through our dreams for peace everywhere, through our common values of compassion and the support we offer to each other, as well as our love for mother nature and the arts. Located at 55 Mann Ave, Ottawa. Created as a MASC artist.