On June 15, a mural two years in the making was unveiled in Warman, Sask., on the side of Route 11 Creative Art Studio.
“It was amazing you know,” Warman High School artist-in-residence Ray Keighley said. “It was a huge relief in a lot of ways because it’s the completion of something.”
The project was a partnership between Keighley, an Indigenous artist, and art students at Warman High School (WHS).
The idea was the brainchild of WHS arts teacher Sarah Gerrard, who reached out to Keighley to bring more on the topics of treaty, truth and reconciliation to her classes.
“A former colleague of mine said, ‘Sarah, if you’re doing this you can’t be a white teacher teaching about Indigenous social justice,'” Gerrard explained. “You need to reach out to the Indigenous community.”
From there, the partnership was born.
Students at WHS experienced the teachings of many guest speakers for the duration of the program, while also working toward their largest project, the mural.
The students worked closely with Keighley, presenting him with different ideas for designs, which the artist then brought to life. The students were then invited back at the end to help paint and finish the mural.
“I instantly found a fascination with his artwork,” WHS Grade 12 student Logan Bueckert explained. “It really inspired me personally to grow my art and experience his art.”
The program gave students a unique way to learn about truth and reconciliation, while also expressing themselves artistically.
“Learning about truth and reconciliation in art class is a way different experience from learning in history or English,” Bueckert said. “It teaches me a lot more.”
“I’m on an adventure, and that adventure is truth and reconciliation,” Keighley added. “Working with youth and bringing the truth to light as much as we can.”
Comments