For 90 minutes one day a week, Rob Hickman loves to visit his happy place.
He is brought to Parkview Studio at the Vernon Community Arts Centre, off the main entrance to Polson Park, to partake in the Joining Hands program, a visual arts program for adults with diverse abilities.
The program has been running at VCAC for 19 years. Hickman, 30, who suffers from epilepsy, has been going to class for the last 10.
"I like the socializing, and I like drawing," said Hickman, who is very skilled at drawing his favourite Pokemon character, Raichu.
Hickman was accompanied by his grandmother to the studio Monday, Sept. 16, for the official unveiling of a year-long project he and his mother, Andrea, took part in.
A large four-panel, 200-tile mural was unveiled on the back wall of Parkview Studio by Joining Hands program coordinator Quinn Vienneau, and VCAC manager Rodney Goodchild, who was able to put down the mop he was using to clean up a refreshment spill before hopping up on table to pull back the curtain.
The mural depicts the four seasons, the land surrounding Vernon, and how its residents see themselves in that environment. The first panel starts off depicting SilverStar Mountain Resort for winter; the second shows Kalamalka Lake in spring; summer comes next, represented by Okanagan Lake; and the final panel symbolizes fall, with Swan Lake, fall colours, and the St. Ann's Pumpkin Patch down the road from historic O'Keefe Ranch.
Each panel contains 500, five-by-five-inch tiles.
"We enjoyed the idea of a collaborative art project where not only did diversely abled artists work on it, but so did more than 30 support workers from different organizations like Kindale, Venture Training, Thompson Community Services, and Interior Health," said Vienneau. "As well we had more than 20 volunteers, staff, instructors and established artists, volunteer their time with VCAC – who all painted a tile."
Hickman and his mom have tiles in the winter and fall panels. Also creating tiles were distinguished community artists Tanya Saddleman-Joe, Okanagan Indian Band vice-principal, North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold and Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu, who was on hand for the unveiling.
"It was great to have a variety of people in the community, related to the arts join together," said Vienneau. "It's been our goal to make sure our artists are seen as part of the community at large, and give them space to create."
The mural is available for the public to check out at any time in the VCAC, even when Joining Hands classes are in session.
This vibrant mural project, "is a true celebration of community and creativity, created by the participants of the Joining Hands Program," added Vienneau.
The program accommodates artists at every level, allowing them to contribute to their community through artistic and creative expression, as well as providing support to adults with diverse abilities, offering an encouraging environment to explore their artistic skills.
There are three classes per day on Wednesdays and Fridays featuring 90 such artists, the largest number the program has ever had.
There is now a waiting list for others to participate.
For more information on Joining Hands, you can also call 250-542-6243.
