How do we process our emotions in a world full of noise? This question was the starting point for Presence, a project created for the Vancouver Mural Festival in 2020. I wanted to address the importance of emotional health by using public art to create a space for reflection and connection. The result was a multifaceted project that went beyond a single mural, inviting a global community to participate in a profound and personal way.
The Mural
The core of the project was a mural that visualizes the duality of our inner world. We often ignore uncomfortable feelings, but as the mural suggests, embracing them is a loving and powerful act. I represented this through a small ball of darkness held by the main character, a tender gesture guided by a cloud of light and two rainbow ears. This figure listens carefully to what emotions reveal, embodying a state of balance between inner turmoil and peaceful acceptance.
Framing the scene, a large rainbow in the foreground and a dark shape in the background symbolize the broader duality of our circumstances: things we can and cannot control. The uncertainty of life will always be present, yet the expression on the character’s face reassures us that it’s okay. It’s a message that resonated with many, serving as a visual anchor for the project’s deeper message.
Community
In addition to the mural, I developed a community activation to bring the project to life. I created a “Micro Journal of Emotions,” a small zine that illustrates various emotional states and sensations. The zine encourages a simple but powerful exercise: checking in with yourself. Instead of just saying you feel “good” or “bad,” I invited people to go deeper, to find specific words to describe what they were feeling.
This was an opportunity to develop emotional granularity: the ability to identify and articulate a wide range of emotions. I handed out these zines to people I met while painting and invited the global community to participate online. People shared their words with me in person, on social media, and through direct messages. Every night, I would read and transcribe these contributions, building a collective list of emotions.
The list became the soul of the project. To celebrate this collaborative experience, I added all the words to the mural, weaving the community’s emotional vocabulary into the artwork itself. The words were sorted alphabetically, mixing what we might consider “positive” and “negative” feelings. This creates a rich, authentic snapshot of our collective state, and serves as a public document that anyone can access to expand their own emotional vocabulary.
Impact
Presence reached far beyond the wall. It sparked conversations about emotional health, connected people, and gave them a space to reflect. The mural was recognized by the Vancouver Mural Festival and featured in publications like Daily Hive, Destination Canada, and claimed “favorite painting in Vancouver” by Toonie Tours. More than the press, the real impact was in how people engaged with it, shared their words, and saw themselves reflected in the community.
This mural became ours, shaped by everyone who sent a word. Seeing the list is a way to check in with yourself, find connection, and understand that every feeling counts. Take a look in this document.
