During term 4 this year, Pullenvale Environmental Education Centre has had the privilege of collaborating on a mural project with the year six leadership team from Pullenvale State School as a parting gift from the graduating class of 2022. The painting was designed by PEEC teacher and artist Lucinda Shaw who also facilitated its creation with the entire year six cohort.
Lucinda's vision for this work and her expertise are expressed below in her Artist's Statement:
The mural communicates how every element of nature is uniquely individual and yet related, interdependent in the whole wonderful system. So too in a school community we need to feel connected to one another through values that enable everyone to thrive in their own way. These values flow through our place and our hearts like the Pullen Pullen Creek we treasure. This painting is a response to the beauty of the local natural world including depictions of native trees with features that are rich with variations and complimentary colours that enhance our attention to the world, ourselves, others and the places we belong. The blue quandong fruits are a sign that the Earth can sustain us if we take due care. Feeling at home on the local eucalypt a yellow and black bug (school uniform colours) can be noticed, reminding us that from little things big things grow and that even the smallest among us has huge value.
Please enjoy this video of our mural process https://youtu.be/cicL1cAHa1U
We are also very grateful to our local MP Dr Christian Rowan for his kind words regarding this project:
This year's graduating students have created and unveiled a wonderful parting gift for the school; a brand new mural. This wonderful mural, developed in collaboration with the Pullenvale Environmental Education Centre, features our native fauna and flora, with each of the 6 school values framed within our local Pullen Pullen Creek. What a terrific legacy for our current and future students, and for the school community.
This collaboration is a result of many years of connection between PEEC and Pullenvale SS, and Principals Alicia Laidlaw (PEEC) and Natala Crawley (PSS) are looking forward to continuing this relationship based on rich nature and community connection.
Article contributed by
Rhiannon Dixon and Lucinda Shaw
Teachers
Pullenvale Environmental Education Centre