I decided to resurrect my neglected blog as a way of documenting the project I am working on for the Children’s Center. The Children’s Center is an excellent organization here in Vancouver that helps children and families with mental health services. I started talking with them last fall about creating a donor recognition wall for the new building they are constructing. They are currently looking for more donors and I encourage everyone to consider supporting this project.

The Children’s Center was looking for a donor wall with an underwater theme in blues and greens. The colors worked well with those already chosen for the building and the theme has the potential to be both soothing and whimsical. When considering how this large glass mural was going to work and how the donors names would appear in it, I decided I wanted the names to become part of the overall image. I imagined the names becoming the waves and ripples in the water. We decided early on to create the design with glass tiles. I had seen a number of lovely piece that glass artist Jane Cote had done where she embossed letters into the surface of the glass and I thought that would be a lovely way to have the donors names appear in the design. I reached out to Jane and asked if she would be willing to join the project. Happily she said “Yes!”
When I started researching images I was really taken by some photos I found that showed the surface of a body of water, the landscape behind it, and the scene below. Those images inspired me to split the mural in to two sections: above the water and below. There are some poetic parallels between those images and the process of working towards mental health. The dual view shows how when when you look at just the surface you don’t know what is below. The sunshine and light reflect the idea of counseling being rays of hope. Since the lower panel is more at eye level for young children I wanted that area to be especially soothing and joyful. I left areas of open space to give the impression of still and deep water. The lower panels hold the most color and movement. There are forms of starfish, crabs, schools of fish, kelp, turtles, coral and an octopus. Through out the mural the donors names will be embossed in wavy lines, giving it a texture that the Children’s Center clients can run their hands along.

This is what I initially proposed to the Children’s Center:
Top panel: Making waves and being light
That title refers to the major elements of the piece and it functions as a call to action to your donors. The title ask the donors to make waves, create the changes necessary to improve our community, and to be the light in a child’s life. I also see this title as referring to the process of working towards mental health — making changes and seeking a lighter future.
Bottom panel: Finding joy in soft pure blue
Where the top piece sends a message about the action needed to bring about change the bottom panel is a place of refuge for the Children’s Center clients. It is a quiet, calm, whimsical place where you can relax and heal.