School
Murals Introduction
My
first assignment when I moved to the countryside from Toronto in 2004 was with
principal Martin Smitt of Tyendinaga Public School in Hastings County. Arts
Administrator Susan Davies put me in touch with him and many others in the county.
I was also asked to paint in the Federal School on the Tyendinaga Territory
and so a new direction in my mural career took shape. It
all began in a Scarborough school, David Lewis, in 2003, were I was hired by "DiscoverAbility"
(an organization that promotes children's art.)
That was the first mural I
painted with children and the principal, Karen Peach, had me back numerous times
to paint a total of 7 murals. I painted murals in 3 other Scarborough schools
and found a way to involve the children from the planning stage to the finish
and still keep a professional look to the works. I
am delighted to have the honour of working on a one to one with young kids and
youth. I find them hungry for the opportunity to paint messages through
symbolism and visual story. Even to just paint on a wall and make stars
look like they blink, without being involved with the overall content, is enough
for some.
After discussing themes and presenting sketches
to the principals, they give me the freedom to interpret and evolve the murals
as we go along. For this I am very grateful.
I direct the themes
to be interpreted in rich and inspiring mythical ways, as I am a storyteller of
Myth and Fairy Tale, and so the most mundane sounding themes (like "be respectful"
and "don't bully") can always burst to life in an abundance of colour
and mysterious-looking scenarios full of symbols and always raising big questions
about life here on Earth in some way, however small. Please
enjoy the galleries of murals in this site and feel free to contact me! Maureen
Walton
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