St. Mary's youth group creates art to mark parish 'transformation'

A transition for the faith community at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church is being marked by a collaborative art project from members of its Glenshaw-based youth group.

The church’s younger parishioners created a mosaic of a rainbow-colored St. Mary wrapped in butterfly wings to represent the unveiling on July 1 of the new Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, one that merges St. Mary’s with St. Ursula Church in Allison Park.

“This creative venture helps express to our parish the way that the youth have been going through a period of transformation,” parent volunteer Carrie McCarthy said. “We wanted to thank St. Mary’s for allowing our teens to have a safe place to meet, talk, pray and grow into a deeper relationship with God, and be themselves.”

Spearheaded by Youth Group Leader Christine Miller, the project was led by Laura Wagner and Kevin Wenner, owners of Raw Space art studio in Squirrel Hill.

“With the recent parish mergers and the uncertain future of the church, the youth group minister contacted us to help create an experience to mark this important time,” said Wagner, of Hampton.

“Kevin and I responded with a unique art project for the kids and their leaders to not only work on together, but to express their individual creativity all at the same time.”

The 3-foot by 5-foot image titled “Transformation” was meant to help children understand and internalize that transition doesn’t have to be a bad thing, Wagner said.

“It may be scary at times, but the process of transformation has the potential to help us to grow into more refined, more experienced and more beautiful versions of ourselves,” she said.

Wagner and Wenner designed a black-and-white image and then cut it into 20 equal pieces — one for each child and adult in the group to paint.

“Each participant was handed paint, brushes and a random piece of the puzzle,” Wagner said. “They were tasked to get creative and paint their piece according to their liking.”

They had no idea what the final image would look like.

At the end of two hours, leaders reassembled the image and unveiled the colorful creation.

“They watched as their individual piece fit perfectly into the whole,” Wagner said. “They saw how their individual effort helped create a collaborative artistic legacy that will be displayed at their spiritual home for years to come.”

A formal presentation to the church is planned for July.