14th National Mural Symposium and the New Mural Unveiling

Mural Routes 14th National Mural Symposium was successfully held on the weekend, October 28^th – 30^th, 2011. This year’s symposium “The Big Picture” looks up at the Monumental Murals of keynote speaker Charlie Johnston, one of Canada’s acclaimed muralists whose work is monumental in scale and his legacy of murals graces the walls of many towns and cities in Canada and the USA, then out to Singapore’s social initiative mural projects with guest speaker, Faris Basharahil from Social Creatives, and finally back to the Toronto-based social enterprise model with the graffiti artist Javid from Under the Radar. We have dozens of delegates joined us and created wonderful and inspiring memories together.

The keynote speaker, Charlie Johnston

Featured speakers, Javid (upper left) and Faris Basharahil (lower right)

Works of the Delegates’

What’s more, the mural, entitled Intersections, which consists of dozens of mural panels that we have mentioned in our last update were finally installed and unveiled in the neighbourhood of Dorset Park. The mural was officially launched with a dedication in the afternoon on Oct. 29^th, the second day of the symposium. Many passersby and our delegates of the symposium joined the celebration of the mural unveiling with Councillor Michael Thompson and the artists.

This mural artwork was created by student artists as part of a youth summer training initiative run by Mural Routes. The project was requested by Councillor Thompson, as part of efforts to discourage graffiti vandalism and improve the visual appearance of the commercial area in Dorset Park/Wexford Heights. The Wexford Heights BIA welcomed the idea, resulting in a mural project designed for the west-facing plaza wall at 2157 Lawrence Avenue East at Birchmount.

The artwork represents the intersection between fantasy and reality, depicting harmony between the faces of young people and their community at the junction of two roads. It was designed and painted by a team of nine young artists led by Emilie Wong and Tara Dorey, under the direction of artist/mentor Rob Matejka. The team worked over the course of the summer, with other youth volunteering their time to complete the mural panels in time. Thanks to the creativity of aspiring young artists, the neighbourhood of Dorset Park now has a new mural.

Stay Connected with Us This Fall

Hello from The bridging Team. It’s well on its way into fall and we’ve all journeyed off on our own paths since the project. From school, to continuing work into the arts, to simply exploring what life has to offer. Since our last update we’ve completed the bridge, celebrated arts in the community at the Scarborough Arts Sub-Text festival, and finished the panels for the mural to be installed at Lawrence and Birchmount. Here’s a breakdown.

From start to finish, this summer was terribly fun painting with the team. We cracked jokes, and had a little too much fun cooling each other off with spritzer bottle to keep our spirits burning brighter than the sun to finish the job ahead of us. Many of the wonderful community members shared good wishes and compliments as they found something new to enjoy each time they crossed the bridge. Lots of friends and volunteers came in for the last day to help us cover the span of the bridge with the bright red colourful decorations and text. It was a great project and we were happy to have left a smiling mark on the community.

The Bridging Project

The very next day we finished the bridge, the team and Lawrence community moved right into the Sub-Text festival under the bridge. Artists, performers, speakers, graffiti artists, and workshop curators came from all over to celebrate. Tons of people came out both days to check out the festivities and art. This was the second run for the sub-text festival and it seems like it’s only gonna be more and more fun each year.

“Subtext” Community Festival

The final challenge for the team was finishing the 40+ panels being installed for the birchmount and Lawrence plaza. It took a few extra weeks for Rob and a few dedicated members from the team to complete the task. It seemed like panels were falling from the sky at one point. But it all came together in the end and will soon be up and ready for viewing sometime this month.

Thanks for checking up and we hope everyone is having a good time with themselves.

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We Are onto Week SIX

We apologize for the incredible lack of updates but there is an abundance photos from both the panel and the bridge team working in different locations and in different weather conditions!

With the incredible rainstorms that we’ve been experiencing, the bridge team has had some delayed days of productive painting.

As for the panel team, after weeks of incredible cutting, sanding, and priming of our plywood panels, we have finally started a week of painting!

Here is a preview of some of the teams’ progress.

Click here for more photos of the panel crew at work!

Click here for more photos of the bridge team in progress!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Mural Routes Summer Crew progress!

Hello to fellow and new followers of the blog!

It’s Emilie from last summer‘s youth painting crew! I apologize for the incredible delay of updates for this summer’s great mural projects! It’s been a great year for many new prospects and this summer shows no differently!

Our team this year is comprised of four youth from this year’s very first Mural Routes Leadership Workshop, Nigel, Tara, Jia Wei, and myself, as well as two summer co-op students, Tien and Kevin. Alongside, a large group of youth workers and volunteers, we have one of the largest and diverse groups to work with.

During the first week, we all settled with some ice breakers and team-building activities, including a visit to the special Jumblies Theatre home at the Cedar Ridge Centre! Here are some photos that document our day.

  

We even began a face painting exercise to get comfortable with one another!

We have two projects underway:

1) Part two of the Bridging Project (Orton Park Rd. and Lawrence Ave. East)

- the South side of the bridge near the pedestrian sidewalk will be painted with inspirational quotes, words of wisdom, and key words celebrating diversity in the community!

2) A “fantasy meets reality” mural painted on crezone panels

-this will be designed and installed at the south east plaza of Birchmount Rd. and Lawrence Ave. East!

More details and photos in a later post this week! Stay tuned!

Youth Artists are on their way to Success

       Leadership Training in Mural Art, the exciting new program run by Mural Routes , has started its first session on May 10, 2011. We have 19 youth artists join us this year. During the past six weeks, our participants have engaged in the workshops led by Rob Matejka, the program manager, and the guest speakers we have invited. Through these workshops, the youth artists get to know each other and have experienced different aspects in the field of mural art production, such as the artistic design and composition, team building skills, leadership skills development and financial management. Last weekend, we have also organized a bus tour for our youth artists to study all the mural artworks along the Kingston Road in Scarborough.

     

        Please subscribe to our blog or like us, “Mural Routes”, on our facebook page if you are interested in our program. We will update regularly as the program continues.

Bridging Project 2011

The Bridging Team is busy planning a whole new season of excitement for the Lawrence Avenue East Bridge at KGO.  Our Youth Team of Artists will be painting a text-based mural on the south side of the Bridge and SUBTEXT Multi-Arts Festival will take place August 27 & 28. To get in the loop and add your voice to the activities take a look at the Bridge Walk and  SUBTEXT flyers.

Certificate Program in Mural Art

Off the Wall: Leadership Training in Mural Making

As part of our commitment to education in the field of mural art, Mural Routes is very pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new program, Off the Wall: Leadership Training in Mural Making. This is a Curriculum Program for leadership development in mural art production and project management. Starting on Tuesday May10, the course will have more than 60 hours of in class and hands-on instruction. Classroom sessions will take place at The Hub, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, 2660 Eglinton Avenue East.

 The Leadership Training in Mural Making program is free to qualifying youth artists who show a serious interest in furthering their knowledge and skills in mural art. The goal is to increase the professional skill and employability of emerging youth artists in the job market. This initiative is a development of our summer youth mentoring programs and will serve to address the needs of young emerging mural artists in the City ofToronto.

 Students to the program will be selected from applications submitted by April 26, 2011.

 Mural Routes developed the Leadership Training in Mural Making program in partnership with Arts for Children & Youth, Big Brother Big Sisters of Toronto, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities – Action for Neighbourhood Change and Urban Arts, in consultation with artists and youth.

 We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Government of Ontario through the Programs and Services Branch of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the City ofTorontothrough the Innovation, Opportunity & Prosperity Program.

More updates later as students are enrolled and the program gets under way.

Shahab Plaza Mural – Summer 2010

Located in Shahab Plaza 1051 Midland Ave, between Lawrence Ave East and Eglinton Ave.

By Yannick Pickard.

This mural was conceived as the companion mural to Sail On and Fair Well (2009). It was designed for the upper level of a neighbourhood plaza, and painted during the summer of 2010. The mural depicts aspects of the landscape and seasons, with some of the artist’s interpretation of iconic Canadian symbols.

The Shahab Plaza murals were supported by a grant from the City of Toronto and the Shahab plaza.

Funders include the City Of Toronto and Toronto Arts Council

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JOIN US for the unveiling of the Bridging Project!!

All our hard work and long days have culminated to bring you the SUBTEXT MULTI-ARTS FESTIVAL!! Come out and support the community!

Here comes COLOUR!

After weeks upon weeks of refining, touching up, and filling in missing areas of silhouettes with the grey, we are happy to announce the arrival of TURQUOISE paint!

On Wednesday, August 18th, the crew began taping and painting stencils corresponding to each season on the bridge.
These photos were taken on the Thursday following.

We started on scenes of Autumn

..moving to scenes of Spring/Summer..

..But having to rain down on our parade, a band of dark clouds swarmed the skies early into the afternoon, cutting off our painting time.

If the weather cooperates next week, the Mural Routes Crew will have that one week to cover the bridge in stencils! Then it’s time to UNVEIL!