As a Talent Sourcer at People First Recruiting I’m lucky to work with a team of incredibly talented individuals. Oddly enough, we’re all very different yet we fit together like a beautifully crafted puzzle. I like to think of the work I do in a similar way. When I’m tasked with researching the talent landscape on behalf of a client, each piece of information I’m able to gather is like a piece of a puzzle, waiting to be solved. Once the information is gathered, the fun of solving the puzzle begins and typically involves some good old fashioned teamwork.
Over the past three years, I’ve been working on a puzzle of a different kind, artistically speaking. As a proud Winnipeg resident I’d like to announce a newly unveiled mosaic mural located on the north wall of the Red Road Lodge at Logan and Main. Working together with a team of talented and artistic individuals, and with the help of many community members, this mural was lovingly created over the span of three years.
Our group was comprised of a group of core artists, led by Annie Bergen and mentored by local tile mosaic artist Ursula Neufeld. Most of the materials used were donated by local business people and the rest were purchased with funding we received from Neighborhoods Alive, Take Pride Winnipeg! and the Manitoba Arts Council.
Many lessons were learned during the planning and creation of this mural. New acquaintances were made and lifelong friendships developed. But most importantly the value of teamwork was clearly demonstrated and its power felt. Without the many people who donated their time, many of it evenings and weekends, the mural may never have been finished. What we started out to accomplish in the beginning, even if it was overly optimistic of us, was realized and the result is a beautiful community mural which Winnipeggers can take pride in. I invite you to stop by and visit the mural yourself when you have the chance.
I personally found a great love for the way the tiles seemed to find their way back to one another, ultimately creating a beautiful mosaic of color and form. Sifting through the various materials we had collected to find just the right complement of color and texture was like food for my soul. It’s similar to a gigantic puzzle really, where you’re trying to find the pieces that fit best together. Tile mosaic has become one of my favorite mediums as an artist and I believe in a way it further kindled the passion I have for the work I do at People First.
As I mentioned earlier, as a Talent Sourcer at People First I work as part of a team to identify talent on behalf of our clients. This often involves creative thinking and problem solving, much like the fitting together of tile mosaic pieces on the mural. There is nothing more gratifying than the successful completion of a project, whether the result is a person you identified through research offered a job by our client or a beautiful community mural. With the strength of a team behind you, anything is possible.
Written by Pamela Habing - Talent Sourcer for People First Recruiting