Students at Guardian Angels, Dr. F. J McDonald, and St Martin de Porres schools participated in the Elders & Artist in Residency program, creating unique murals. At each school, the project began with the students meeting with Elder Irene Compton to learn about Indigenous culture and its connections to nature. They developed a deep appreciation for the Earth, had an opportunity to learn and collaborate with Elder Irene, made cultural connections, and incorporated natural items from their learning walk into their mural design.
Later, the students worked with MASC artist Kseniay Tsoyj to jointly design the layout of their mural and craft the individual pieces that would comprise the design. Back at her studio, the artist used the design and the elements the children had created to assemble a large mural for display at each school. Once the mural was completed, Elder Irene was invited back to each school for a special unveiling ceremony.
The project team produced a video to commemorate the students’ journey. It will also be used as a teaching and learning tool.
