Hi Break-a-Brushers!
This month Maryse Hatchard stood back whilst friends, neighbors, students and artists of all ages created a community masterpiece her driveway.
Maryse picks up the story:
On June 8th, I set up a 4ft x 8ft primed wooden board in my driveway for people to come and throw paint at it or drop it on. They had to make an appointment in order to make it a social distancing safe project. It was an an experience that left me grateful and awed.
It took a full week for the many layers of paint to fully dry in my garage. I enjoyed going to the garage every now and then and running my hands over the many layers of paint. The texture is fabulous. It made me feel a close connection to all who participated as I remembered who put what layer on. It also gave me a glimpse into their homes through the colours of their wall paint as well as an idea of their reality through the words they gave me to write on the board before the project started.
From ‘Mad’ to ‘Hopeful’, ‘Really Tired & Sad’ to ’Accomplished’. Everyone is going through this confinement differently. Frustrations were yelled out when throwing paint while others poured it on in complete calm and silence. Entire families came to participate, high school and elementary students I’ve taught art to, teachers, artists and neighbours.
It was a transformative experience as I saw words disappear; some peaking through until near the end. At times I saw figures dancing; a human form walking away from an explosive landscape; a dinosaur fossil and in the end a happy face and a flamingo.
I can stare at it for hours. I was not sure if I wanted to add something to it but in the end I decided to add almost transparent walls signifying a floor plan. Some restriction from living between our walls as long as we have, but transparent enough not to hold us back.
Taken as a whole, it doesn’t look like anything particularly beautiful. It is on closer inspection that one notices the woven ties, the intersecting lines and the colours that blend… it is the texture of a community.
TAKE CARE! Maryse.
Maryse has profiled the project on Facebook and has posted in as many groups as she could. She is repeating the project at the NECTAR Community Centre (http://nectarcentre.ca/) on July 3rd. There’s an artist in West-Carleton now wanting to do one and she had interest from someone in Red Deer, Alberta. Maryse is looking at putting together a set of instructions for people so that they can repeat it wherever they are. Who knows…maybe this will start a global movement!
You can contact Maryse at Fillionm03@gmail.com
Congratulations!
David & France
