Special Thanks to Merivale High School, Elmdale Public School, Irv Osterer, David W. Jones and Lisa Gale for creating the spectacular artwork and to Chris Page of Yamaha Canada for the gorgeous design!
When Canadian visual artist David W. Jones was asked to contribute to the creation of this year’s new Music Monday poster, he came across a photo posted on the internet of a Junior Concert Band proudly holding their instruments and a large Music Monday banner at the very busy corner of Merivale Road and Viewmount Avenue, in Ottawa.
Jones discovered that the picture, on Ottawa’s Merivale High School website, was posted by fellow University of Ottawa Fine Arts alumni, Irv Osterer. Mr. Osterer is the school’s Fine Arts Department Head. Merivale’s music teacher Charles Ramin has had his students participate in the event since its inception.
When David approached Irv with the idea of his school’s participation in creating images for this year’s Music Monday poster, Irv and the Grade 11 Visual Art teacher (Lisa Gale) met with Jones who explained the nature of the art activity he was proposing and a suitable date was chosen. At the same time, Jones managed to get a grade 4 class at Elmdale Public School involved.
On the big day, Jones asked the Merivale art students to make paintings based on how the Tomorrow is Coming (the 2011 Music Monday song) lyrics and music made them feel. He also explained that they only had the duration of the song for each painting.
Ms. Gale gave her students a few days to listen and familiarize themselves with the new Music Monday theme song. On the day of the event, Jones then played the recorded theme song while the students had a preliminary warm up exercise. This allowed them to get reaquainted with the music, the length of the piece and to get them in the correct frame of mind to create colourful, rhythmic, lyrical, non-representational works of art. Jones, assisted by another Ottawa artist, Jeff Guinn, and Mrs. Gale circulated around the room encouraging students to make spontaneous works of art while the music was being played.
Then, as Tomorrow is Coming was being played a second time, the students created the final works that were scanned and submitted for inclusion in this year’s poster, along with those also created by a grade 4 class at Elmdale Public Scholl.
Mr.Osterer commented: “It was a terrific experience. The students really enjoyed the concept of painting to music. Jones did an outstanding job facilitating the event and making it a memorable experience for Merivale High’s Arts community. We look forward to seeing the completed poster and to participating in this year’s Music Monday.”
SEE THE VIDEO. Watch the students at Merivale High create the new poster!