REGINA, Sask. — A Regina wall has combined several forms of art to create vibrancy and intrigue.
School of Rock Regina recently partnered with Ranch Ehrlo Society for a large mural on the side of the school’s building, featuring guitars, keyboards, musical notes and other instruments taught at the music school.
Laurie Schulz, franchise owner of School of Rock Regina, said the idea came from her longtime appreciation for art and a desire to create a more vibrant space for students.
“My dream was to have a really cool mural on the side,” Schulz said.
She initially painted a small mural herself for children to use during summer camps, but it eventually became weathered. After seeing murals created by Dustin Ritter and his team at Ranch Ehrlo, Schulz reached out about creating something larger.
The new mural also incorporates part of Schulz’s original artwork. The word “rock” remains on the wall, with “and roll” added to complete the phrase.
Ritter said the mural was designed around the concept of “synesthesia,” which is also the artwork’s name.
“We made all the colours and waves and flames cut out of that, and then everything else kind of exploded out of the guitar.”
The project was completed over several weeks, with the team generally working for a few hours at a time. Ritter said two Ranch Ehrlo participants and another staff member helped contribute to the mural.
For Ritter, projects like the mural give participants a chance to build confidence while contributing to their community.
“We've been doing our art program for five years, and we thought, let's try something a little bigger,” he said.
Ranch Ehrlo has completed several murals in Regina this year, including projects designed to cover unwanted graffiti. Ritter said the work has continued to grow as participants develop their artistic skills and take on larger projects.
Schulz said the finished mural has also changed how the space is used.
“Even though we're in a back alley, this is a back alley I want to hang out in,” Ritter said.
Schulz said the mural has created a more welcoming space for students and visitors, while also bringing different forms of art together.
She hopes the partnership can continue and that more murals could be created in the future.
“I would love to do that,” Schulz said. “I think it'd be something we can easily keep going and just get more people involved.”
The mural has already sparked discussion about potentially expanding the artwork to another side of the building next year.
