ST MACARTANS COLLEGE

A wee spin across the country landed us in St. Macartan's College, Co. Monaghan. We had one workshop to try to flesh out some ideas from a group of class representatives from each year. The group were engaged and very open to the prompts and brainstorming. The workshop culminated in a quick spray paint demonstration outside, giving the lads some tips and tricks before the mural painting.

The results of the workshop were really interesting and provided a really strong direction for the mural. The central message of the mural emerged to be evolution of students in the school through growth and development, the fostering of the individual whilst still remaining united together. This growth is brought about by the support, faith, moral guidance, education and ambition & care of the school.

The mural was divided into 6 panels, representing each year group. Each panel shows a different student partaking in a different activity, in a unique and contrasting style.

A group of TY students came out for a few days and took responsibility for the panels and text. They got stuck into all the small details of the mural and impressed with their attention to detail and spray paint skill. They were a great group to work alongside, collaborative and creative.

An interesting and meta development of the mural was the addition of the Bansky inspired figure on the 5th panel.  A picture was taken of one of the TY students actually spraying the wall. It was then posterised and a stencil was made out of it,  so that it was a direct portrayal of the wall being painted, on the wall. (Woooahhhhhhhh!!!)

This was an exciting and challenging project to work on, trying to really encapsulate the nature and values of the school whilst still keeping it a colourful, bright and joyful piece. I think they did a great job!