Continuing Studies Instructor Helps Bring Main Street Mosaic to Life
Red River College Continuing Studies instructor Ursula Neufeld has helped transform one of Main Street’s most colourful landmarks into a similarly eclectic downtown showpiece, while at the same time providing a creative outlet for those struggling with mental illness, addiction and homelessness.
Neufeld, a local visual artist who teaches Early Childhood Education courses at RRC, has for the last two years served in a lead role on a community arts project launched by local artists at the Red Road Lodge, 631 Main St. (formerly the New Occidental Hotel, now a transitional housing complex for at-risk individuals).
The result is a stunning outdoor mosaic located on the Lodge’s north-facing wall — one that’s inspired by traditional Aboriginal teachings, but also reflective of the diverse backgrounds of the hundreds of people who’ve contributed to its completion.
“We wanted to do something beautiful for the neighbourhood — to share in the creative process with the people here,” says Neufeld of the creative types behind Studio 631, an arts and culture resource housed within the Lodge. “But they didn’t just want to do a painting — they wanted to do something different.” Read More →