Murals for Conservation
As 2019 slid into 2020, I was in the Philippines catching up with a friend, Anita. We met on a marine conservation training course several years ago and discovered we had a lot in common. We both had art degrees, were teachers and had made Bristol in the UK our home. Following the training, we stayed on to collaborate on a Sea Adventure School project involving a floating classroom!
photo by Neil Wilkinson Photography
Anita has since founded Atelier Aquatic , a Community Interest Company based in Port Barton, Palawan. The concept is to engage communities in marine life education and conservation bringing together science and art. I was eager to see how it was all going and to join with the Art on Barton project taking place in December.
Art on Barton Flyer 
Art on Barton schedule
I arrived just before Christmas to find turtle murals by local and international artists splashed around the village and was just in time to help out with a couple of paintings!
Why all the turtles?
Port Barton is known as the turtle capital of Palawan. The most popular activity is island hopping snorkel tours and the number one attraction is ‘Turtle Spot’. You can see green, hawksbill and occasionally olive ridley turtles in the region. In the past the village relied on fishing for survival, but with low stocks they now depend on tourism. As yet, it remains relatively undeveloped. Locals are aware of the pitfalls that mass tourism can bring from observing nearby places and are keen to manage Port Barton’s growth sustainably. They recognise and value the beauty of their home and natural resources. Turtles are of course, endangered and protecting them is of huge importance.
Turtle Workshop and Hatchling Mural
A local bar and restaurant, Villa Marguerita had asked for a mural on one of their walls. It’s a beautiful location, right by the beach with a grassy area alongside, so it was a perfect mural to involve local children with. Anita designed a mural that evokes the connection with people, the beach and turtles. She planned a workshop for children to be running alongside the mural painting.
While Anita prepared the mural, myself and other volunteers set up the turtle art area with good quality sketch paper, watercolour paints and lots of pictures of turtles for inspiration. It was great to see such a range of ages and the depth of concentration, perhaps after a while off school they were keen to have an activity to do! Through looking carefully at the photographs, discussions, then a quiz, there was lots of learning about turtles too. (quiz download)
The Biggest Threat and the Greatest Hope
It was really interesting to observe the process, I learned so much, from how to set it all up to ensuring the process goes smoothly and getting effective results. Some key takeaways:
- Limit the palette to a few colours for more effective results
- Add white to improve coverage and to create tints (so the colours work well together)
- Use a stencil and spray paints for really great results that children will be proud of. They can personalise their part using a brush afterwards.
- Have volunteers and an activity running at the same time so the number of children working on the mural is manageable.
- Running the painting and workshop in a public place is a great way to get people interested in what you’re doing.
You can download a document with photos, steps and tips for painting a mural with children.
A not so idyllic painting site!
Having painted the hatchling mural in such a gorgeous spot, this one was not as idyllic, but I learned a lot and it ended up looking great so good to share! It was right next to a ditch with uneven, slightly squelchy ground and as it got dark enough to use the projector, the mosquitoes came out to see what we were up to! Every time a car, motorbike or person passed you had to pause in painting, but, again, it aroused a lot of curiosity and gave us the opportunity to talk about the project with locals and tourists.
Anita showed us a really quick and efficient way to paint an image onto a wall using a projector. We used the same technique of adding white to the paint to make it cover well. Rollers made the background really quick to do, (a cardboard box from a local shop made a perfect paint tray), and they were really good for getting a good circle edge for this design.
A big thank you to Anita and Atelier Aquatic for such an enjoyable stay and sharing your expertise. If you would like to volunteer with Atelier Aquatic, they offer a four week programme or a shorter option to gain Reef Check Eco Dive certification. Check the website or email Anita anita@atelieraquatic.org for more information.
Further Reading:
I interviewed Anita about Atelier Aquatic for Gaia Discovery.
Books About Turtles:
Check out the Teachers Telling Tales recommended reads.
Turtles Teaching Resources:
Interactive story activity Turtles in Trouble
Chase and tag active game Turtles in Danger