Art Project #3 - Elders Center in Iqaluit

So we JUST unveiled the mural that was created for the Elder's Center here in Iqaluit!!...  And I am so pleased that the response from the elders was a touching mixture of excitement and awe!  This is the third youth mural project I've organized and I am soooo proud to say that the youth involved deserve ALL the credit for the final result as I really encouraged them to fly entirely from their own (creative) wings! There were a number of youth involved, but the two most dedicated were the same youth that have been there since the first mural project in March 2012 (Anne Hellwig and Melissa Attagutsiak) and so, since they had "been through the motions" at least twice before, I wanted to give them as much freedom as possible while still offering guidance and technical help/support.. and the result is incredible!! They did an outstanding job and I am so unbelievably proud of them!  I feel like this project was the culmination of a year of working with these awesome gals... From the first project, where they had barely painted before, to this one, where they were now able to paint with confidence and give the images unique aesthetic qualities all their own.  It has been amazing to watch them grow as artists and I feel privileged to have been able to help them along the way!   

 

 

Early stages... Always the most tedious!

 

 

Budding art director Anne Hellwig (middle).

 

 

 

First day and already so much progress!

 

 

Helping hands!

 

 

Melissa Attagutsiak working on the centerpiece of the mural... One she can call her own!

 

 

 

Few sessions later... Almost there!

 

 

 

Pretttttty much done.. Proud artist looking over the finished work.

 

 

 

Now for the unveiling!  I had help from the city to put up the pieces at the Elders Center and then draped them up to make it a real surprise.

 

 

 

Ta-dah!!

 

 

Ta-dah!! (continued)

 

 

 

Eyes gazing up.  This is a few minutes after the unveiling.  Everyone was SO impressed!

 

 

Some of the elders with the artists.

 

 

The entrance is now so lively and I am so thrilled to have been able to contribute to making such an important space a little bit brighter!