Vancouver Draw Down 2012: Patterning the Community at Sunset Community Centre

On the morning of June 9th the rear windows of Sunset Community Centre's foyer were transformed into an enormous glass canvas in celebration of the rich diversity and multiculturalism in the Sunset Neighbourhood. Patterning the Community was an interactive and collaborative window mural project with artist Juliana Bedoya that was based on patterns, images and markings that paid homage to our diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Using black ink, around 30 community members young and old contributed to this temporary decorative art installation. The window mural activity engaged community members to the point that some of them were very inspired and worked for a long period of time on their cultural patterns. These included Punjabi writing, the French fleur de lis, clouds, rain, Indian and Chinese symbols, Japanese flowers, Latin and African inspired geometric shapes, a Taiwanese boat, a Jewish star of David, the city of Vancouver, batman and other multicultural traces were left on the window panels.

People also had the chance to participate in the four activities facilitated by artist Laura Barron happening on the tables at the lobby that directed them to create each challenge with a different medium on a specific surface (ie. chalk on black construction paper; colored pencil on notecards) created an attractive and consistent aesthetic.