St. Mary Student Brings Faith and Art Together in Mural Project
Last year, St. Mary Catholic Secondary School Grade 12 Visual Arts students Xavier Baptiste and Mary Trudeau proposed an ambitious project: revising the two large-scale paintings flanking the school stage.
Measuring 4x8 feet each, the murals were no small undertaking.
Inspired by their studies in art history, both students sought to create modern, St. Mary-themed pieces influenced by historical masterpieces.
Baptiste drew inspiration from Caravaggio's “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas (1602)”, captivated by the master's dramatic lighting, realistic depictions of everyday people, and profound emotional expression. His vision reimagined the classic theme of faith and doubt in a contemporary school setting.
"I wanted to create a modern realization of faith among St. Mary students, replacing the act of touching Christ's wounds with one student showing another something significant on a cell phone," Baptiste explained.
Trudeau, on the other hand, found inspiration in William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s “The Virgin with Angels (1881).” Drawn to Bouguereau’s composition, she hoped to modernize the scene by replacing the angels’ musical instruments with St. Mary students holding objects representing the school’s creative programs—visual arts, music, drama, and photography.
"This painting is about the joy and adoration of Mary, and I wanted to reflect that by celebrating the diverse talents of St. Mary students in a faith-filled environment," she said.
With their artistic visions in place, the art club began selecting student models to represent the school’s diverse community. To further connect the project with their Catholic faith, the students used the interior and exterior of the St. Mary chapel as backdrops for their reference photos. However, by the end of the school year, the murals remained unfinished.
Determined to see the project through, Xavier returned for an additional semester as a CO-OP Arts & Culture SHSM student, dedicating his mornings to completing the paintings.
"These murals were my final high school project before I pursued my artistic career as an animator," he shared. "I will be including them in my application portfolio for the Animation Bachelor's program at Sheridan College."
“These murals, a legacy of creativity and faith, born from student inspiration and brought to life through dedicated artistry, stand as a lasting testament to the values instilled through Catholic education," said teacher Melissa Kiely.
"They will continue to inspire future generations of St. Mary students, reminding them of the power of faith and the boundless potential of artistic expression."
