Excerpt from the Mural Unveiling Press Release, August 28, 2013:
The West End BIZ's unique Mural Mentorship program sees a University Fine
Arts student create a
Mural design and serve as Mentor to a local youth. Over the summer, youth participants
aged 8-17,
are taught basic painting skills and art techniques while creating a large-scale public art
piece. The youth
also learn valuable planning skills, how to work as a team and how a Mural can positively
impact a
community. They take away wonderful memories of their experience and a new appreciation
for art. This
experience can have a life-long positive impact for participants, especially at risk youth. A
record 165
youth participated in this year's Mural. Our mentor Bryn Vargas will be available to
speak about the
concept behind the Mural and her experiences working alongside the youth participants.
"The community offered some history and their memories which really helped create
the design.
As the youth work on the Mural it evolves further as their own suggestions are
incorporated,"
says West End BIZ Executive Director, Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner. "It is a colourful
look back and
a story in itself."
Engaging our youth is critically important and our sincere appreciation is extended to Human
Resources
and Skills Development Canada who served as the supporting sponsor for this year's
Mural
Mentorship program. Additional thanks to Gohe for the contribution of wall space and
support of the artist
over the summer.
The West End BIZ Mural Program is award-winning and internationally recognized,
having won the
prestigious International Downtown Association's "Award of Distinction." WHERE
Winnipeg
Magazine also named the West End BIZ Mural Tours as one of Canada's Top Ten
Attractions. To
date, over 65 Murals have been created throughout the neighbourhood by the West End BIZ.
Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner: ``This is the 69th Mural created under the West End BIZ
award winning Mural program. It is the 11th year of the Mural Mentor Program, also
award winning, recognized by the International Downtown Association in 2009 (Award
of Distinction) This year we have been awarded the Award of Merit for our marketing
and communications, of with the Mural Program is a part.``
``Our Mural Mentorship Program uses a University Fine Arts Student to work with local
youth to create a beautiful piece of public art. This year we had a record 165 local youth
participate in this Mural. Imagine that! 165 local youth learned basic painting technique;
they learned about art; they learned how to paint a tree and how to make a person look
better than just a stick person.``
Bryn Vargas: ``This Mural depicts a history of Sargent Avenue and fun places that
people used to go; giving everyone a look into the past and what the area looked like.
People can learn about the history of the area.``
``Starting from the right end, this is the storytelling of the History of Sargent Avenue.
We have the grandmother telling the grandson and friend what it used to be like. From
Central park there was Colony Creek ..(inaudible)..and the various activities there. The
other circle depicts the Legion which is still there and a meeting place for Veterans of the
War. Up top is Icelandic Community Hall built in 1906. Next is the location of
Honeysuckle Bakery and which is representative of a lot of other bakeries that were in
this area. Next is the Rose Confectionary which is connected to the Rose Theatre. Which
is now a daycare. There were a lot of Western Films shown. The last one is the Sargent
Park open air swimming pool.``
Gloria: ``One of the challenges of this wall was that we already had a flag on there; and
credit to Bryn that she was able to come up with a design to incorporate the colours of the
flag that already existed and that the owners wanted to keep. I think she did an awesome
job. ``
