Power To Be community creates a mission-inspired art piece
Participants, volunteers and staff joined forces Nov. 27 to celebrate an incredible year in Vancouver with a group mural project. Using their creative skills and artistic expression they left their mark on the Power To Be Vancouver home in the form of a 32-by-16 foot mural. Kris Kupskay, a well-known and established artist from Whistler, provided his artistic talents to help facilitate the painting.
Nearly 40 members came by, picked up a paintbrush and participated in the mural painting. Reflecting on the shared experience, one parent spoke to the value of involving more members of her family in a Power To Be experience.
“The experience reaffirmed to us that, not only our beloved daughter, but the whole family belongs to a caring inclusive community as Power To Be,” Nelly Gomez says.
The theme of the mural encapsulates what Power To Be represents through nature, community, inclusiveness and the power and impact that nature really can have. For the Vancouver staff team, the mural serves as a reminder of the impact programs have in the community.
“Creating the mural was an amazing way to bring our community together; past and present staff, participants, family members, support workers, volunteers, and friends of Power to be in Vancouver were all involved in creating a timeless piece of art that represents our focus on unique and inclusive nature-based adventure experiences,” says Alanna Ray, Power To Be Community Development Coordinator. “Every time we use our space at the office, whether for program preparation, trainings, or as an indoor programming space, we now have a large, colourful, and beautiful custom-made mural that will remind everyone who visits of our incredible community.”
From an artist’s perspective, working with Power To Be held its own rewards, Kris says.
“Having the opportunity to share my passion with the participants at Power To Be was exciting. Watching the mural take shape and the participants create fun memories, and as they move forward, see themselves in this art piece is pure gold. To me, this is how art becomes timeless.”
Thank you to Kris Kupskay for his artistic guidance and to Home Depot for its support in providing supplies for the event.