When I was birding at Canton Township’s Heritage Park earlier this month, I noticed something different on the brick restroom building near the playscape on the north side of the park.
Brightly colored wildflowers and mushrooms stood out in a mural painted on the side of the building.
It’s the first time I’ve seen a mural painted on any public buildings in Canton Township, which had me excited and wondering more about the background of the mural.
Which I discovered earlier this week when the township published the story about the public dedication of the mural.
This design, which combines the poetry of James McInerney and the artwork of Gabrielle Dolin, is a colorful example of how the Poetry Project uses the fusion of spoken words and mixed media to help raise awareness of subjects like depression and mental health while also spreading positivity.
I learned the mural was created by Canton self-taught artist Gabrielle Dolin, who graduated from Eastern Michigan University.
Dolin is a program coordinator for the Partnership for the Arts and Humanities and is now studying for their master’s degree in Counseling and Art Therapy at Wayne State University.
The poetry by James McInerney on the mural says:
I might be uncertain about tomorrow, but I will not worry. What matters is that I realize how important I am today.
I’m hoping more murals are planned for the township, I’ve been surprised there aren’t any other murals in Canton Township.
What a lovely addition to the park!
