Vulnerable youth paint diverse mural in Surrey
Art honouring Indigenous peoples will transform hoarding at construction site
Sarbjot Atwal wasn’t happy with where he had ended up — 19 years of age, unemployed, out of school and a few credits shy of graduating.
“I was getting in a lot of trouble,” said the Surrey resident. “I was hanging out with the wrong people and doing the wrong things.”
He knew Jon Ross, who supervised an at-risk youth group called the Wraparound program, and contacted him a few weeks ago, telling him he wanted to complete his Grade 12 education.
“They helped me a lot,” said Atwal.
One of the courses he needed to complete for his high school degree was an elective arts class. Now Atwal is one of eight youths who helped create and paint a mural that will transform a massive hoarding at a new construction site in Whalley.
With the help of professional muralist Chris Perez, who helped the youths turn their creative images — which include diverse messages of power (a fist) and nature (a hummingbird) — into a single artwork, the students have this week been painting the mural.
“I had zero art experience,” said Atwal, who said he remembers thinking art class “wasn’t the coolest thing to do” when he was in high school.
“When I started doing it, I realized I was good at it.”
Atwal is pleased to be part of the crew and says he finds the creative process “so mellow and soothing.” And he’s gratified with some passersby stopping for 10 to 15 minutes to watch them work. “Everyone has been so positive,” he said.
Atwal likes to think he’s helping to show people in the neighbourhood that young people are capable of creating something beautiful, that “we’re about painting a picture, we’re not only about graffiti.”
The mural was created with the guidance of the Semiahmoo First Nations chief and will honour Surrey’s Indigenous peoples, said Ross.
I was getting in a lot of trouble. I was hanging out with the wrong people and doing the wrong things.
Ledcor, the construction company at the site, approached the city with the idea of a mural on the hoarding and the city enlisted Wraparound, which is a partnership between Surrey schools, RCMP and the city that helps atrisk youth improve their relationships with school, community and home.
“Ledcor came to us and said these boards are just waiting to be lit up with art,” said Ross. The company provided the wall and the paint for free.
Both Atwal and Ross said they hope other companies will offer public space for similar projects.
“Surrey needs more art like this,” said Atwal, who would like to pursue a career in social work.