A group of 27 Nuriootpa High School students, spanning years seven to 12, recently collaborated with local artist Marnie Wark to create a beautiful mural within the school grounds.

Having connected with Marnie through her work in creating the ‘Murray Street Mural’ at the Barossa Co-op almost ten years ago, NHS art teacher Mr Arlon Hall had a vision for a mural of similar magnitude at the school and to facilitate an opportunity for students to work directly with a professional artist.

“They’re [the students] are getting industry skills, and for them to work with a living artist and realise they’re people and that this is an occupation you can pursue,” said Mr Hall.

Having successfully secured funding and in-kind support for the project through Foundation Barossa’s Peter Lehmann Arts and Education Trust Grant, and Dulux, Mr Hall sought out interested students via a school-wide expression of interest process.

With the student project group established, Mr Hall invited Ms Wark to conduct a site visit and to facilitate a half day design workshop with the students at the school, which enabled students to be part of the process right from the conceptual stage.

An essential aspect of the project brief was to include existing mosaics, which had been created by the late Ann Winters, a passionate art teacher and inclusive education advocate at Nuriootpa High School.

“From the mosaics I picked some colours which I incorporated into the mural, I wanted it to look like one piece of work and it to be a calming space,” explained Ms Wark.

Following the half day workshop Ms Wark collated and refined the design concepts and then got to work alongside the students and Mr Hall to paint the mural over four days.

Year 11 student, Maisie, reflected that the opportunity to work with Marnie and to collaborate with other students has grown her skills.

“It’s interesting to see how other people work, and it gives me an insight as how I can improve my art,” said Maisie.

To hear more about the project watch the Making a mural with Marnie Wark video now on YouTube.