A vibrant mural now brightens the walls of the Vincent F. Mason Sr. Coral Resort & Pool on St. Croix. The result of a creative summer initiative that empowered local children to explore their heritage and express their identities through art.
Throughout the month of June, the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts (CMCArts) hosted children ages 8 to 12 in a series of eight hands-on art workshops, where they developed painting skills, discovered their creative voices, and worked together to design and complete a full-scale community mural.
At the heart of the project was artist and resident of CMCArts, Toronto-based muralist Jasmin Pannu, an award-winning artist celebrated for her engaging style and passion for teaching. Known for her diverse body of work—including murals, canvas paintings, and digital product designs—Pannu has collaborated with major clients like Lancôme, Frito-Lay, Foot Locker, UPS, the City of Toronto, and Nike. Whether she’s using a henna cone, acrylics, spray paint, or ink, her mission is clear: to create art that intrigues, connects, and transforms.
“Throughout the series, I’ve been meeting with them twice a week,” Pannu explained. “We’ve done everything from the ideation to the actual mural design process. We’ve talked about materials, practiced sketching, and focused on collaborating. That’s been a big part of the program,” she said.
The mural itself is a rich tapestry of island culture and identity. During early workshops, students were asked to reflect on who they are, what makes their community special, and how they want to express that visually. The result: a colorful mural filled with Moko Jumbies, sea turtles, local fruits, steelpan drums, quadrille dancers, and other iconic island imagery.
“They came up with the idea themselves,” said Pannu. “We had an ideation session where they all had to think about their identity, their culture, and what makes St. Croix special. Then we stitched those ideas together to form a full mural. It tells a little bit of the story of life on the island.”
Beyond painting, the program created space for social growth and cultural pride. Pannu noted the unique character of the youth she worked with.
“I feel like the youth on this island are so conscientious and respectful,” she said. “That has a lot to do with the socialization that happens here. Even something as simple as how they greet you—it really comes through in their demeanor.”
In addition to the mural workshops, the program expanded its reach by engaging with other local groups. Pannu and her team led one-day creative sessions with the Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra summer camp, where youth explored artistic expression through shoe design.
“We visited and did one-day workshops centered around shoe design and artwork,” said Pannu. “It was all about helping them express themselves and feel comfortable putting their ideas on paper.”
The mural was officially unveiled on Friday at CMCArts, and the public will be able to view it when the Vincent F. Mason Sr. Coral Resort & Pool reopens on July 9. The students also received shirts at the unveiling ceremony of the mural that they created.
Reflecting on the project’s impact, Pannu emphasized the deeper value of creative work rooted in community and culture.
“They are going to go forward in life having that as part of their identity,” she said. “Not just that they created a mural, but that they were able to fully tell the story that exists within their community.”
