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ArtsNewsTop Stories FacebookXLinkedinCopy URL Arjun PIllai/Daily Herald Artist Cheryl Buckmaster stands with Ecole St.Mary students beside the newly unveiled mural at the Prince Albert Water Treatment Plant on Friday. Along with them are Prince Albert Arts and Culture Coordinator Tia Holash, SCIC Youth Coordinator Sakshi Meda and Ecole St. Mary principal Dwayne Gareau A mural inspired by artwork created by Prince Albert students was unveiled Friday at the City’s water treatment plant, highlighting clean water and environmental stewardship. The mural stretches across a series of wooden panels and features detailed etched imagery connected by a flowing river. Scenes of forests, wildlife, and people are woven together with symbols representing water, industry, and community life along the North Saskatchewan River. The more closely viewers look, the more small details emerge, reinforcing the message of water stewardship and the interconnected relationship between people, nature, and the environment. Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald The newly unveiled mural inspired by artworks created by Ecole St. Mary students is displayed at the Prince Albert Water Treatment Plant The ceremony also included an opening prayer and blessing from Elder Liz Settee, who spoke about the cultural and spiritual importance of water. “Water was the first medicine. Every life form needs water,” Settee said. She also spoke about the responsibility communities share in protecting water and supporting sustainability for future generations. City officials, school representatives, and community members attended the ceremony. Mayor Bill Powalinsky was among those who spoke at the podium, while Ward 7 Coun. Dawn Kilmer was also present. The project brought together Grade 11 Environmental Science students from Ecole St. Mary High School, Saskatoon artist Cheryl Buckmaster, the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation, and the City of Prince Albert. Students participated in a series of workshops where they explored themes related to water stewardship, sustainability, and global citizenship. Their drawings and ideas later helped shape the final mural design. Artist Cheryl Buckmaster said the artwork grew directly from the ideas students developed during those sessions. “My vision was inspired by what we did together researching the North Saskatchewan River and talking about the positive and negative effects around water,” Buckmaster said. “The images the students created during the workshops became part of the collage that informed the final mural.” Buckmaster said she hopes people visiting the facility pause and think about the role water plays in everyday life. “I hope people question what it is and think about the fact that water is essential to life every day,” she said. Arjun Pillai/Daily HeraldArtist Cheryl Buckmaster speaks during Friday’s unveiling at the Prince Albert Water Treatment Plant as student artwork combined into a single collage is displayed. The collage helped inspire the final mural design. The workshops were organized through the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation, which works with youth across the province on projects connected to global issues. Sakshi Meda, youth coordinator with the organization, said the project gave students a chance to connect global ideas about sustainability with their own community. “It was really interesting to see how engaged the students were, bringing their ideas together to visualize why clean water is important and why sustainable development matters in our community,” Meda said. She said the initiative also showed that meaningful change can begin locally. “For me it was a very meaningful project because sometimes we think making an impact requires something big, but local conversations with the community around us are just as important,” she said. Malcom Toland, executive director of the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation, said the mural reflects the organization’s work encouraging public engagement on global development issues. “This mural appreciates the importance of access to clean water and water stewardship,” Toland said. “It is a chance to bring our mandate to life with partners here in Prince Albert.” Toland said the mural also reminds people of the role communities play in protecting water resources. “It is a physical reminder that access to clean water is a fundamental human right, and we all have a role in making sure that access is delivered,” he said. The city of Prince Albert partnered on the project and helped coordinate the installation at the water treatment plant. Tia Holash, arts and culture coordinator with the city, said the facility was chosen because it regularly hosts tours from schools and community groups. “We wanted to activate the white walls within the water treatment plant with art that spoke to water stewardship and youth voices,” Holash said. Holash said projects like this give young people an opportunity to share their ideas. “The process involved youth, and giving them the chance to collaborate and share their ideas through art is incredibly powerful and empowering,” she said. Students who helped develop ideas for the mural said seeing the finished piece was rewarding. Zachary Adam, one of the students involved in the project, said the experience helped highlight the importance of protecting water. “I learned that water sustainability is very important and that we all have to work together to make sure our water stays healthy,” Adam said. He hopes people who see the mural think about the role they can play in protecting the environment. “I hope people get motivation to help keep water good and sustainable for us,” he said. arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca -Advertisement-