Island animals populate North Haven mural

In February of 2004, shortly after the new Waterman’s Community Center opened on North Haven, a group of community members came together in an after-school program to create a mural for the walls of the new center. Financial assistance came from the Island Institute’s Island Community Fund and Camden National bank. Large in-kind donations helped make this project possible as well. Local artist Sylvia Carrier donated 50 percent of her time in helping to craft the mural. Portland Pottery donated all of the clay and sold the ceramic tools and glazes at cost, and Cooper Con-struction donated the plywood on which the mural has been mounted for display.

The community project started in early spring with the research and drawings for the mural. This stage of the project took place at Waterman’s Community Center. Each participant selected a creature local to North Haven and did research to find images and some information about this animal.

The images were then turned into sketches of the appropriate size and incised into clay panels under the guidance of Silvia Carrier. After its first firing, the participants met again in Carrier’s studio to apply three layers of glazes on the bisque fired panels. The panels were fired a second time and then mounted and installed by Louis Carrier.

During Community Days, an annual event on North Haven, the mural was unveiled with a reception for participants and the public. The mural now hangs in the lobby area of the community center where everyone who passes through and spends time at the center can see it. It is located right outside of the daycare room. One of the goals of the project was to have animals with textures that could be looked at and used in rubbing projects by the children in childcare.

Students at the school were included in the process of making the mural. Students in grades seven and eight, with help from Ms. Taylor, assisted with the research and grades five and six, with Mrs. Lovell, brainstormed for a title. They settled on the very appropriate title of “Sky, Land and the Deep, Deep Sea.”