Several curious creatures have sprouted up underneath the Sea to Sky overpass at the end of Pemberton Avenue.
A fox, a trio of extra-terrestrials and an owl perched inside a dream catcher are just a few examples of the new wildlife that have come to flourish in the area.
The culprit?
A new mural project by Grade 8 to 12 students in the Alternative School Program.
Students who find themselves in the Alternative Program are often those who need a little extra help when it comes to learning.
The program offers a more supportive environment to give its attendees a hand up.
For Jenny Hughes, the teacher who organized the project, the experience has been about showing kids who don’t necessarily learn best in a conventional classroom setting that they can do big things, too.
“It’s a way to show the community we’re smart, we’re dedicated,” said Hughes. “Just because someone’s not able to sit in a Math 8 class and learn the traditional way, that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong and that we should be outcasts.”
In this case, an inability to fit inside the box of traditional schooling can be a strength, yielding some out-of-the-box thinking – something which can be especially useful in creative endeavours.
This may be apparent to anyone strolling past the 81-foot-long mural, which was put together by about 35 students.
A crescent moon faces off against a maple-leaf shaped sunspot flaring out of a gigantic star.
A dripping rainbow of red, orange, yellow and green bleeds down to the floor. A hummingbird floats over a lily pad, next to the ‘Om’ symbol – the sacred sound in religions such as Buddhism.
The idea for a mural came to Hughes after her class did an art project that involved turning their names into graffiti that was painted onto mini-murals in their classroom.
It sparked a discussion on art in public spaces that captivated many students.
Intrigued by the idea, the class went down to East Vancouver to explore some of the many murals that adorn the city’s buildings.
Furthermore, they started talking to some artists in the area who shared a bit of their wisdom with the students.
The class was particularly inspired by the organizers of the Vancouver Mural Festival, who took the youths on guided tours, exploring different styles and giving the students advice on how to start.
Their imaginations sparked by the outing, the budding artists were ready to roll.
“We thought, ‘Let’s do something big,’” Hughes recalled.
Things started to fall into place.
After also receiving help from a friend at the District, Hughes was able to find the right location for the mural, as well as the permits needed to get things going.
As of this month, the finishing touches have been put on the work of art.
But, perhaps, the nicest finishing touch has been the reaction from those passing by the mural.
“Almost every person goes by, they stop and they go, ‘Oh my gosh, wait – it’s kids doing this?’” she said.
“They’re proud,” said Hughes. “They’re giving back to their town.”
