Offaly artist helps students create giant new mural
An Offaly-based artist recently played a key role in mentoring second-year students from Coláiste Chiaráin, Athlone in creating an exceptional new mural for its school.
Rosemarie Langtry, based near Ballinahown, was part of the team that created the giant 3.6m x 4.8m beautifully-designed and colourful mural (entitled 'Be Kind'), which is now displayed proudly inside the school.
She worked tirelessly for seven months on the project alongside school art teacher Norrie Ross and 12 students: Marta Motuka, Clodagh Conlon, Mia Courtney, Dylan Moran, Frank Macken, Zoe Lloyd, Leah Wykes, Lilianna Oliver, Billy Gaffey, Gabriela Wyrzykowska, Lillyanna O' Connor and Ben Reilly Cannon.
Speaking at the recent launch of the mural, Ms Ross said: "I want to thank Rosemarie Langtry for working tirelessly with us for seven months. We’ve had a great working relationship for a few years now, and Rosemarie will agree that while the work was mammoth, it was effortless with these young artists. We went to them for advice, and we got it in spades.”
The project, a huge undertaking for the young students, was funded by BLAST Arts-in-Education, the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals ( NAPD), and the Arts Council Creative Schools fund.
Speaking at the launch of the mural, teacher Norrie Ross was keen to bestow great praise on the students for their efforts, who she said 'led the design and creation of the piece'.
“Without their vision, leadership and hard work, the project would not have been possible,” she said.
“We are standing before a significantly impactful legacy piece of art - one we hope will continue to send a powerful message for many years to come,” she added.
That message, said Ms Ross, “is quite simply: to be kind”, and the mural Bí Cineálta, she added, is part of the Irish national framework designed to ensure that every school is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for everyone. It is a commitment to a culture where bullying has no place and where kindness is the common language.
"That very message is written on the mural in 23 languages, mindful of the wide variety of cultures that make Coláiste Chiaráin what it is. The white silhouettes dancing across the boards represent the entirety of our school community. They are bound together as they navigate the bumpy terrain of hard times, protected by the figure on the right who offers a gesture of kindness and shelters them from the grey clouds of life’s darker moments. Together, they bask in the sun and the gold-tipped clouds. What a rollercoaster of life we are all on, and being kind is truly the most honourable thing we can do,” Ms Ross said.
Ms Ross complimented the artists on working with “professionalism” and “flourishing in a creative environment where, week after week, they turned the classroom into a working artist studio”.
“There were meetings, consultations, planning, photographing, measuring, and transporting massive boards. Although the list of jobs was long, we made sure to laugh a lot. Throughout this process, well-being flourished, skills were developed, and there was a profound sense of connection, belonging and resilience. This is the artists' voice and it is extremely strong," she said.