Colwood school raises $14K for massive mural
More than 25 feet up in the air, a steady hand gently dots the eye of a jaguar with dollop of black paint.
His hands gently guide a joystick that prompts a scissor lift into action, dropping down a foot where he weaves his paintbrush over a lock of grass.
One hundred hours into a 1300-square-foot mural at John Stubbs Memorial school, painter Steve Milroy is only one third of the way through what he expects might be his best work yet.
B次元官网网址淚 am a very hard critic on myself ... but I can guarantee the kids will be going absolutely ape,B次元官网网址� he said of his 35th school mural. B次元官网网址淚 think this is going to be a knockout mural.B次元官网网址�
Painted with a combination of brushes and air brushes, the 75-foot wide, 20-foot high jungle-scape complete with the school mascot jaguar growling and reaching out with claws outstretched, was once just an idea.
B次元官网网址淥ur goals were to improve the schools identity and the atmosphere in the school,B次元官网网址� said leadership teacher Carlie Kilduff. B次元官网网址淏eing a new school how do you buy into an identity?B次元官网网址�
When she brainstormed the question with her Grade 9 class, the students came forward with an idea.
B次元官网网址�(They) approached me with so much passion about doing a mural,B次元官网网址� Kilduff said. B次元官网网址淭his was a big vision for these kids for creating a legacy for John Stubbs to step up and claim its glory.B次元官网网址�
It wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy for her or the students. Raising $14,000 for expenses was a huge hurdle for the four-year-old school.
Kilduff was unsure if it would take two or three years to complete, if it would even happened at all.
B次元官网网址淚 have had a lot of sweat and stress, wondering if we were going to get this mural or not,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址�(I didnB次元官网网址檛 want) to tell these kids they werenB次元官网网址檛 getting (it).B次元官网网址�
In the end it took less than a year. After raising $2,200 through local business sponsorships, the school lent a hand funding the remainder of the project so the school mascot could come to life on the walls of the gym where the unveiling will take place in January.
B次元官网网址淪o many schools have murals as well and it is cool to have one of our own. I am excited to see it because it is going to look really cool,B次元官网网址� said Grade 9 student Teagan Coles. B次元官网网址淚t is fun to see the progress of it everyday, and see how much he has done. You just keep waiting to see what the final product is going to look like.B次元官网网址�
With about 200 painting hours to go, Milroy is working feverishly, but without sacrificing quality so students can finally have what they have waited so long for.
B次元官网网址淚 went overboard on detail, (more) then I had anticipated,B次元官网网址� the 29-year artist said. B次元官网网址淭he students worked their magic on me and I want to do an extra special job.B次元官网网址�
The public is welcome to visit the official unveiling happening Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. at John Stubbs school.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
