Engaging art project

Education Support Centre students from Rockingham Senior High School will take on an artwork project based on the concept of comm-unity, which they will complete over the next few months.

Local artist Samantha Prentice will lead the project and has let the students pick between using spray paint, paint pens and paint brushes to create the piece.

“The aim is to give students something to engage in when they may not be engaging in school; it is giving them something else to be aware of and proud of,” she said. “They are getting a different kind of reaction and response from their fellow students and teachers when they do art projects like this.”

Ms Prentice said the project was focused on the local area and environment.

“We have different boards that will all be in different colours and showing off areas of Rockingham,” she said. “One will be the Shoalwater islands and focused on the animals, such as seals and penguins, another will be Richmond Lake, so we will be drawing the thrombolites and native birds.

“We will be putting the final piece up in an area the students use as their hangout area. It hasn’t got a lot of colour, so we want to make sure we can brighten it up.”

Student Support co-ordinator Justine Marrollo said the artwork would be based on the theme “our community” but there was no set plan on what the final piece would look like.

“It will be mounted on one of the classrooms in the courtyard for all to enjoy. The boards will be painted using a range of materials and techniques,” she said.

“Students will be working on the artwork for two hours each week until the end of term. Samantha has worked with our students in the past and has a passion for engaging youth in the creative arts. Her bright and bold murals are a fantastic way to showcase our students’ talents and imagination.”

Ms Marrollo said the school had targeted students who were disengaged from school, or who are talented artists and enjoy expressing their creative side to take part in the project. “The purpose of this collaboration is to build community pride, ownership and student voice for our students,” she said.