Blog Post # 3 by Jenin Ahmad

The artistic process is more often than not exponential. The blank canvas is paralyzing. Hesitantly, the artist starts big, avoiding the nitty-gritty details and daunting aspects of the piece. The pace is quickened as a sense of ease fills the artist. Then, it becomes impossible to separate artist and canvas - creation is now a necessity.

On this final week, Daniel moves faster than ever before. The reveal party is approaching, so there’s a deadline to meet. A thunderstorm earlier in the week pushes us back a day, so the entire schedule is shifted so that every day from Saturday to Wednesday is a painting day. Temperatures soar into the high 20s and low 30s, with no shade to cover. Still, each day Daniel shows up and paints for as long as he can.

Blog Post # 3 by Ruby Brubaker

In participating in this project, I felt wildly out of my comfort zone. I had never worked in journalism let alone wrote a blog. Even though Kate had never worked on a mural or even with spray paint before I envied her calm and easygoing nature. Over the course of three weeks, she created a beautiful and provocative piece of art and I am grateful to have been a part of that process.

Blog Post # 3 by Mary Annan

Throughout this process, it became clear to me that I can look at one piece of art and see an array of different interpretations. What do you see? What do you feel?

Two weeks ago, when asking Jax what he hopes to provoke with his art, he told me:

“I hope to change people’s thoughts or perceptions in some way, even if I don’t know exactly what it is.”

containR Youth Mural Project: Blog Post # 2 by Jenin Ahmad

The Tuesday heat is oppressive. When I check my weather app before leaving for the containR site, the forecast says that there will be rain. A quick scan of the sky shows that there are no clouds nearby, so I opt out of my raincoat. Upon arrival, I know that my choice to ditch the jacket was right, but otherwise, I am totally overdressed. The clouds are moving away from the sun, which is beating hard on our backs. Daniel chose a container that conveniently gives no shade whatsoever. I enviously stare back at the organizers, who are relaxing in the shade. Nevertheless, I sit down by Daniel’s work and start recording on my phone.

containR Youth Mural Project: Blog Post # 2 by Mary Annan

Having already seen the draft of Jax’s mural, many discussions and ideas are on the tip of my tongue. Being the documenter, I must be patient and maintain a pacing of documentation that is aligned with his progress. My excitement for the rest of the city to admire his work multiplies each day.

The first day meeting him, I asked him if he had done murals in the past. He told me that this was his first one. I found this surprising. His outline was clear and he was filling in the details calmly.

containR Youth Mural Project: Blog Post # 1 by Ruby Brubaker

Riding the C-train North through Sunnyside station, passengers will see a shipping container in the beginning stages of a mural as part of the ContainR Youth Mural Project.

containR Youth Mural Project: Blog Post # 1 by Mary Annan

We recognize that we are complex in nature. Why do some fail to recognize that nature is subject to that complexity, as well. Are we separate from nature, or a conscious subset of it? For all we know, we may be the only organisms with the cognition to ask ourselves these questions.

containR Youth Mural Project: Blog Post # 1 by Jenin Ahmad

It’s a bit nerve-wracking to cover an artist’s process. Something that has made this task easier is the fact that I have sat next to Daniel Volante - one of this year’s artists - in art class for the past two years. Watching Daniel make art is like partaking in a long, bumpy road trip that always leads to an amusement park. He sketches, he paces, he throws away drawings and tries again.

News