CAMH MENTAL HEALTH MURAL MAP

 

The Mental Health Mural Map project, conceptualized by Workman Arts artist Amanda Lederle, was developed as part of Mental Health Week in May 2022. This initiative was a joint effort between SunLife, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and BentallGreenOak, with the goal of promoting mental health awareness. The mural, titled Mental Health Seek and Find, is prominently displayed on College Street in Toronto, offering an interactive visual experience that highlights themes of emotional well-being, resilience, and personal growth.

Designed as a detailed, illustrated map, the mural includes symbolic locations such as Compassion Falls, Self Reflection Pool, Hope River, and Deep Hole of Despair, representing different aspects of the mental health journey. To enhance engagement, the artwork incorporates a seek-and-find element, inviting viewers to discover hidden symbols associated with key aspects of mental well-being—support, hope, resilience, and growth. This interactive approach emphasizes the accessibility and importance of mental health resources in everyday life.

The Mural Painting Process

As the Creative Lead and Production Manager, I was responsible for managing the team of muralists, overseeing logistics, coordinating the painting process, and ensuring the artwork was accurately transposed onto the 25 ft by 20 ft wall. The challenge was to faithfully reproduce Amanda Lederle’s detailed black-lined drawing on a textured brick surface, maintaining its hand-drawn charm and clarity at a large scale.

Projection & Layout:
To ensure precision, the image was projected at night onto the wall using a high-powered digital projector. Due to the limited street space and the size of the mural, we had to mount the projector onto the skyjack rather than projecting from the street, as the skyjack itself would obstruct the projection beam. This required a layered projection method, breaking the image into smaller sections that were aligned and traced in stages.

Hand-Painted Execution:
Once the layout was sketched onto the wall, the mural was painted entirely by hand using a variety of brush sizes to capture the intricacy of the design. The bold black line work had to be executed with precision, ensuring that fine details and varying line weights were maintained. Due to the mural’s scale and its high visibility on College Street, every stroke needed to be crisp and clear from both up close and a distance.

Challenges & Solutions:

  • The uneven brick texture required careful attention to line consistency, adjusting brush pressure to keep the lines smooth.
  • Multiple ladder and skyjack adjustments were needed to reach all sections while maintaining alignment.
  • Weather conditions played a factor, as muralists had to work in optimal lighting to ensure accuracy while handling changes in temperature and wind that could affect the paint’s drying time.

Community Impact

The mural was officially unveiled on June 8, 2022, serving as an artistic landmark and mental health awareness piece in the heart of Toronto. Its presence not only enhances the urban landscape but also encourages dialogue around mental health, making support and resilience visually and emotionally accessible to the public. The seek-and-find aspect adds an interactive experience, allowing viewers to reflect on their own journey while engaging with the artwork.

This project was an honor to execute, blending art, advocacy, and public engagement in a way that truly reflects the power of mural work in shaping conversations and transforming spaces.