In July 2022, volunteers of the University of Ottawa Bird-Safe Campus team installed a mural on 18 glass panels at the passerelle linking the SITE and CBY buildings at 800 King Edward Ave., in hopes of reducing the number of bird-related collisions, injuries, and deaths as a result of glass structures on campus.
The Bird-Safe Campus team, led by social science student Ryan Wong, used data dating back to 2014 to establish recommendations for bird-safe glass treatment on campus. Monitoring and patrolling of the passerelle—in addition to other high-risk areas around the campus, such as the FSS building and Montpetit Hall—continued throughout the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 migratory periods, with the decision to move forward with the SITE-CBY passerelle in late Spring 2022.
A Call for Artists campaign was launched in June to recruit artists around and beyond the Ottawa arts community for unique creations that incorporate the spirit of engineering in their designs. Artists were also tasked with creating a design that did not exceed 2 in. by 2 in. in spacing—this is to adhere to bird-friendly guidelines that ensure the effectiveness of the mural.
Maria Gomez Umaña is a visual artist and graphic designer located in Ottawa and is the artist behind the SITE-CBY mural artwork. The following is an interview conducted by Ryan Wong, the Bird-Safe Campus at uOttawa project lead:
Ryan (R): How did you begin to create this mural design? How did you hear about this initiative?
Maria (M): I read the call in Artengine and began thinking about designs related to renewable energy, given that the mural was going in [an] engineering building. One morning, I woke up at dawn and rather than rolling in bed, I decided to draw in bed using my iPad. In a couple of hours, I had a basic design, and later that day I submitted the proposal.
The design included the sun, wind, and power generators. Jose, my permanent boyfriend who is an Engineer and has worked in alternative energy systems for years gave me a few good ideas. I was excited because I am convinced this kind of energy is the future, especially in our times of climate crisis. When I received the email of confirmation I was very surprised and happy.
R: What changes were made to adapt to meet bird-safe guidelines?
M: My original design had large shapes and a few small details, which I had to change a bit to prevent birds from colliding against the windows. The Bird-Safe team explained the importance of having smaller spaces between designs which in the end made the design look quite busy. Drawing more shapes was more work for me and the volunteers, but we were all okay with it because, in the end, it will help the birds.
R: How was the student volunteer team involved in installing this mural?
M: Every day there was a team of two or three student volunteers that worked in shifts of three hours with me. They were super friendly and helpful, open to conversation and sharing ideas.
We played music to accompany the work, and they gave me the names of the musicians they like, which was a great education for me. I was afraid I wasn’t going to finish on time, so the first few days I was more focused on painting than chatting. I regret not having spent more time getting to know the smart young [volunteers] helping me.
In fact, the help was so great that we finished painting in half the time Safe-Bird had allocated, which means we could have relaxed a little and not rushed as much.
R: How do you find inspiration in your art? Where do you go, and what do you read or listen to?
M: I find inspiration in everyday events, movies, songs, poems, recipes. I am drawn to things that have processes, maybe because I like things that change and evolve. Seeds sprouting, children learning to draw, water flowing, kombucha brewing. These things give me hope for the future.
This project was made possible with the support of Holly Gordon of the uOttawa Office of Campus Sustainability. Bird-Safe Campus at uOttawa is financially supported by TD Environmental Leaders, and receives advice on bird collision prevention and research from FLAP Canada, Safe Wings Ottawa, and Deborah Doherty, student volunteer supervisor.
The Bird-Safe Campus at uOttawa team consists of Dalya Alomar, Mikaela Capeling, Michelle Christy, Amanda Clairoux, Deborah Doherty, Braden Gregory, Sara Didi Hassane, Ayesha Iqbal, Michèle Michichiuc, Britanny Payment, and Ryan Wong.
Maria Gomez-Umaña can be reached at www.mariagomezumana.com, and on Instagram.
Our team will continue to monitor buildings on campus this fall. Please let us know if you’d like to help us save the birds at bscuottawa@gmail.com and http://linktr.ee/bscuottawa.
