Multicultural mural to welcome back Daniel McIntyre students

A mural painted by a graduate of Winnipeg's Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute (DMCI) has been completed to display the diverse backgrounds of the school's pupils.

The school commissioned the mural to be painted by a former student, Christian Miranda, who graduated in 2013. He quickly got to work and offered administrators three sketched options for the piece of art.

Miranda then spent 126 hours creating the fixture in the school's hall. He said he hopes to make an impact with the students, displaying their differences and the everyday things that bring them together.

The school's principal, Lorne Belmore, said the administration had been interested in learning more about the school's 1,150 students. A survey conducted showed that of those students, there were 47 languages and 41 different cultures represented. About 700 students said English was not their first language. 

The school thought it necessary to celebrate that range of cultural diversity. 

"We decided on a mural. Only one choice of artist came to mind, Christian," Belmore said. 

Wings of Nations

The eight faces in the mural are painted in the likeness of actual students who were selected by teachers to be featured. 

"I took pictures of the students and transferred them into Photoshop. Some of them were a little embarrassed with the attention, but I think they were proud to do it," Miranda told CBC News.

Miranda's mural, titled Wings of Nations, is hardly his first mural. He said growing up in the Philippines, he had the opportunity to paint many murals both by himself and in collaboration with others.

Moving to Winnipeg in 2011, he and his family were looking for a better life.

Specifically, his dream is to one day work for Disney or Marvel. 

"I paint because it's a lot of fun and it's my passion," he said. 

Miranda now studies digital media design at Winnipeg's Red River College.