Power Up: Dr. Tammy Gaber

“I wasn't sure it was going to work!”

When Dr. Tammy Gaber started carving the parts or her block-printed mural by Wembley Public School … it was the first time she’d created such a large-scale print in that style.

The block printing process was one Tammy—an associate professor at the McEwen School of Architecture—taught herself at the beginning of the pandemic.

The design is based on the architectural features of Wembley, the neighbourhood Tammy now lives in, after moving to Sudbury in 2013 to help found the school of architecture.

“I spent a week designing and drafting the axonometric design [editor’s note: Google this for a better explanation of it than I could ever write], spent a few days carving the block, then I sealed it. I spent a day priming and painting the base coat for the box and lightly drafting with pencil the diagonal grid I would use to guide me,” Tammy explained.

“Then in one, very long and hot day (!), I printed all of it! It had to be a fast and sure process because of the heat the paint dried so fast.”

A video of the process was covered by local media, and Tammy has been cheered on by members of the neighbourhood.

In Tammy’s words: “It was very meaningful for me to design and make an art installation in my neighbourhood.”