Mural in the Making: If There’s a Will, There’s a Wave
By Rachel Dragas
Sometimes in life you have to go with the flow and let the sea set you free. That’s one theme that emerged for artist and staff member Sari Morand, in Project Chimp’s latest mural at the Laurie and Carlee McGrath Chateau. Sari started working at Project Chimps at the beginning of 2022 as a caregiver aide on their growing team.
Sari helps with feeding, cleaning, and aiding the caregivers while providing for the chimps as best they can. “I love every second of the work, it’s amazing to be here giving the chimps a great life.”
The Artistic Mural Process
Sari didn’t have a lot of creative outlets growing up, but realized they liked painting when they got to college. Over the last two years, Sari has invested more time into their art and creative passions. This is the first mural Sari has painted for Project Chimps and it was no small feat. There are four villas on the grounds as well as Chateau, the latter of which is a fairly large building that is split into two sides.
When setting up one side of Chateau, the maintenance crew painted the bottom half of the walls blue. As an extension of this layout, Sari decided to go with the flow and do an ocean-themed mural. “I’ve always loved the ocean, especially the creepy crawly things and plant species.”
Ocean Theme: Setting the Scene
“I was initially very nervous about painting the mural, especially having looked at all of the other ones and how great they are. I don’t consider myself the best artist, but I paint because I like it, and once I got into it, I realized how healing it was for my inner child.”
At first glance, the mural exudes a welcoming splash of color accompanied by a vivacious and immersive-like quality. “The first thing I painted was a giant octopus that I wanted to flow across the space, so it’s tentacles extend across the walls. And then I added a sea turtle and jellyfish. One of my coworkers is obsessed with whale sharks so I painted one for her as well. I definitely hit a lot of challenges during this process, one of them being texture, as it’s hard to paint on the cement cinder blocks. But it was a fun challenge that mirrors some situations in life where you think to yourself, ‘I didn’t expect that, but now let’s course-correct.’”
Creating a Visually Enriching Environment with Murals
Sari painted the mural over a span of five days, mostly on lunch breaks at work. “It was nice having coworkers check in and show their support and excitement. A few of them even layered a couple of fish onto the mural. I didn’t necessarily want to paint the Sistine Chapel of chimp murals, but I did want it to be colorful and fun.”
Sari continued, “We have a couple of villas with rooms that don’t have murals and the biggest thing I’ve noticed is that my mood is different when I clean those versus the ones that do. If I’m noticing it, then the chimps are likely experiencing these effects as well. Most importantly, I wanted this mural to be a source of safety and visual enrichment for the chimps—even if it’s not generating the most profound difference, I want them to feel good about it, and for people to pass by, smile, and think ‘that nice!’”
An Experience to Remember
Several new structures are being constructed, as well as a few established ones without murals that Sari is always keen to help out on. “The entire process has been so rewarding and a learning experience that I’m grateful for. I’d love to paint more murals knowing what I know now. Innately all humans are creative beings and it’s fun and healthy to explore without placing rules or expectations on ourselves. My advice to anyone with that creative itch is to just go for it, always.”
To keep up with Sari’s work, check out their Instagram: @dreamsoflosgann
Interested in volunteering or painting a mural for Project Chimps? Learn more about current opportunities here!
