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16 Artscene Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER MULTICULTURAL MURAL: Sheridan student artists, left to right, Jeff Pascoal, Emily Brown, Omar Noori and Ewelina Dolzycka volunteered 340 hours of their summer designing, drawing and painting a multicultural mural called Colours of Culture for White Oaks Secondary School. The mural measures 24 feet by 10 feet and is located by the cafeteria. It depicts a common story shown through the lens of various cultures. New mural at high school celebrates multiculturalism By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Art is often used to unite people of different languages and cultures. A prime example of this is the new mural at White Oaks Secondary School. Sheridan College students Omar Noori, Emily Brown, Jeff Pascoal and Ewelina Dolzycka volunteered more than 340 hours to create the mural, which measures 24 feet by 10 feet. The work, called Colours of Culture, depicts young people of different nationalities, representing Africa, South America, North America, Celtic, Middle East, Japan, Greece, Australia and India, sitting around a campfire, sharing the common tale of a hero defeating a monster and living happily ever after with a princess. "This shows some of the different cultures that combine to make up Canada," said Noori, 25, a second year animation student. "One thing we want to show is that each one of us in Canada should be really proud of where we came from and this adds up to what we have here. All of us can and do live together in peace and harmony." could, so this is a good way to let other people The project was made possible through the appreciate these students' talent," he said. "I new urban art program developed by the think it is great it is multicultural and it Town of Oakville's recreation department. reflects our school. I hope that our students This is the first school mural and likely not remember they have their heritage and they the last. are proud of it and don't "The urban art initiative "One thing we wanted to try to hide it. I hope they is a way to get youths show is that each one of us in remember they bring engaged in the community values with them from Canada should be really and be recognized for their their cultures." talent," said Danielle Tanner, proud of where we came The concept for the recreation assistant with the from." painting was developed by the students in coopTown of Oakville. "We eration with recreation thought it would be exciting Omar Noori Sheridan College student staff and Stieva. to do a mural in school The artistic side was because it is by youths for left completely to the youths. As you can see through this mural, we have outstanding stu- students to develop. While the four students dents with exceptional talent in our commu- spearheaded the project, they relied on three additional Sheridan classmates and two nity. " Tanner said the department approached friends to make the project a reality. "I'm really amazed at how good it looks," White Oaks because of Principal John Stieva's reputation in the community for celebrating said Pascoal, 25 a third year visual and creative arts student. "I'm really proud of what we crehis school and its diversity. Stieva said he was more than happy to ated. I hope students can relate to it and see themselves in it." accept the proposal. The mural is located just outside of the "We don't often display art as well as we cafeteria in a busily travelled hallway. Students often stop and look at the work, discussing the artistic and multicultural aspects. This is exactly the reaction the Sheridan student artists were hoping for. "I wanted to show what students can do when they work together," said Dolzycka, 20, who is in her third year of the visual and creative arts program. "I hope there is a positive reaction from the students. There's a lot of bright colours and there's action, so when they look at it, we hope they are captivated by it and react to it. We hope this makes them feel proud that their culture is up there on the wall." The student artists said they are proud to have been a part of something that not only has such a positive message, but will also be around for students at the school to enjoy for years to come. "This is a great opportunity for us as artists to put our name out there," said Brown, 20, who is in second year ceramics. "We want to show that people of different backgrounds bring different things to the table. I hope students stop and look at it and it makes them think."