New murals showcase student life at New Brunswick university

Artists in Fredericton are working on a piece for St. Thomas University that will showcase student life and the campus’ diversity.

Two artists are working on three murals for the university’s George Martin Hall, or, as it’s also known, the Great Hall.

"To an artist a blank wall is really exciting because all we want to do is fill it,” said artist William Johnson.

"We realized we would like to enhance this room. It has been a chapel at one time and converted to a student space, which to me is what it's all about, this whole university is its students."

Johnson, a STU alumni, designed the three murals to represent student life.

Laura Forrester, a current student, is also contributing to the works.

"This has been nice because I get to spend more time on campus working on the mural and I also get to literally represent the student experience,” said Forrester.

The project is a part of a beautification project for the university.

"We talked to Bill and he said, ‘Why not do three murals?’ Because there are two spaces on the front walls as well,” said Jodi Misheal, STU’s vice-president of advancement and alumni relations.

“He said, ‘We can do a triptych and it will be all about St. Thomas, not necessarily the buildings or the history, but the people, primarily being the students.’ Each of these different murals represents a celebration of student activity.”

The murals highlight the university's diversity and its talented students.

"We already have presidents on the walls and things like that,” said Johnson.

“We wanted to do it in terms of what the university is today and hopefully into the future.”

The project began last spring and, after some COVID-19 delays, the artists are nearing completion almost a year later.

"The students are really excited about it. People have been very complimentary,” said Forrester.

“It's all very timely and timeless messages. This is a liberal arts institution, so it goes along with all our mandates and messages.”

The artists are hoping to finish the murals by April.