'CREATED OUT OF COMMUNITY'

HUNDREDS WERE INVOLVED IN EFFORT TO BEAUTIFY PART OF SILVER SPIRE CHURCH

Anyone who's been to Silver Spire church knows the patchwork of rooms and additions that make up the entire site. So it was rather fitting that when they unveiled a community mural it came in the form of a patchwork quilt design that was created by the hands of hundreds of residents.

"It's a way to weave together the many different pillars of this space," said Shauna MacLeod, director of the Willow

Arts Community.

Conceived of last year, the mural has turned much of the wall on the Head Street side of the building into a community art project. All told MacLeod estimates about 750 people had a hand in its creation.

Leading the way was Jana Bergsma, an independent artist who created the framework. She said she got the idea from a quilt that her mom and aunt made for her grandmother. From there they encouraged anyone they could to add their own spin to the mural.

"It's many people coming together," said Bergsma. "It was so incredible to meet all of you."

Willow Arts Community provides free artistic programming and peer support for people who live with mental illness and substance use problems or have lived experience. Its members painted portions, as did congregation members and children involved with Carousel Players, which has a space on site as well.

"We just literally grabbed people as they were walking in and out," said Rev. Karen Orlandi of Silver Spire.

"It was created out of community," added Kate Leathers, general manager of Carousel Players.

MacLeod said it was great to see such a diverse collection of people with varied background and lived experiences come together

to create the mural.

The mural was partially funded by a grant from the St. Catharines Cultural Investment Program.