Community Totem
There was the first workshop. We set up our table at the Humewood School
Country Fair and as soon as the gates opened we were off and running.
Reinhard rolled slabs of clay for four hours non-stop while John, Starr
and I worked like crazy to assist over 75 children and parents to make
their own unique expressions in a clay tile. By the end of the afternoon
we were exhausted, hot, hungry and very thirsty. However, while recovering
over a cold drink we agreed the workshop had been hugely successful and
celebrated the creation of the very first tiles. 
There were many more memorable encounters in the community-based workshops,
which followed. They included the group of hyper-active young boys who
had a water fight in the basement of the library; the six-week old twins
whose mother worked hard to soften the clay so she could get good impression
of her babies' footprints; Nick who wanted help drawing a picture of
his cat and his dog; the "herbalists" at Vaughan Road Collegiate
who needed no assistance in accurately rendering cannabis leaves; the
Italian Women's Theatre group who captured stories of their immigration
to Canada; and the 90 year old at the senior's centre who proudly recorded
the initials of each of his children.
The memories did not end with the workshops. After each workshop I
returned home with stacks of cardboard trays containing the clay tiles
made by the community residents. My job, along with the help of my assistant
Alison, was to cast each and every one of them in concrete.
I converted my tiny back yard studio into a tile-making factory. The
process involved placing each clay tile in one of the cavities of the
specially constructed 21-tile plywood box mold, carefully sealing the
edges and then filling each compartment with 2 cups of concrete. The
tiles were released the next morning after the concrete had hardened.
This was the most exciting part of the process. I was always anxious
to see how the tiles had turned out. Invariably my neighbour Trudy would
come over to "supervise" and together we would spread out
the newest batch of tiles for inspection. It was like unwrapping birthday
presents. Fortunately, with a little good luck (and a little skill!)
every single tile was cast successfully.
We finished the casting just as the weather turned cold. I cleaned
up my yard and stored the tiles at Art Starts. The arrival of winter
provided a welcome break from the project. However, the break did not
last long. Early in the new year we started planning the installation
with the City and as soon as the spring thaw arrived, the crew from
Parks and Recreation was on site with their equipment. This proved to
be as much as a challenge as the making of the tiles and generated its
own set of memories.
 I
spent many days on site during the installation and met many of the neighbours
and users of the park. Doc was a regular. He stopped in the park most
days after an early morning walk. After checking on the progress of the
installation we would frequently engage in discussions on current events
or sometimes just complain about the weather. People were curious and
many stopped to ask what we were building. At one point a rumour circulated
that we were installing a swimming pool for the kids. Despite the initial
disappointment when I patiently explained that it was an art installation
most people were supportive and enthusiastic. They were pleased to see
something happening in their park.
By the end of June the poles had been installed and the concrete pads
poured. All that remained was to set the tiles. This was delayed for
several weeks while we searched for a qualified tile setter and dealt
with administrative requirements of tendering a contract. By August
a tile setter was hired and the work scheduled. It turned out that we
had chosen the one of the hottest weeks on record. With the humidex
the temperature surpassed 46 degrees! Everyone thought we were crazy.
But we survived thanks in part to many cold drinks and multiple Freezies.
After four exhausting days the job was completed.
All the hard work had paid off. When placed together the individual
expressions captured in the tiles told a story of the community. John's
initial inspiration of a community marker had finally been realized.
Just as the Totem had captured memories for me, I wondered if other
visitors to the site would be reminded of their own experiences or perhaps
whether the images in the tiles would evoke curiosity and stimulate
their own stories.
I hope the Totem endures for many years and that it continues to animate
its small section of a small City park.
Lois Dellert
December 12, 2001
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