Joyful mural adds colour to Corinna

Children enjoy lively art project

‘‘Our school had so much black and white — now it’s colourful.’’

That is the sentiment of Corinna School pupil Chilena Winterstein, about the mural she and her classmates from room 2 helped design and paint.

A former drab concrete wall has been covered with the colourful work of art, which reflected the many cultures at the school, teacher Bronwyn Gibbs said.

After the students raised the idea in September, Ms Gibbs made contact with Whitireia Community Polytechnic and was put on to visual arts tutor Rudy Lopez.

He said working with the children to make their mural come to life was ‘‘brilliant’’. ‘‘I wanted to give them an experience they would not otherwise get.

‘‘ They picked up everything so quickly and were enthusiastic about the project. It was very impressive,’’ he said.

The students worked with Mr Lopez, who gave up his time to oversee the sketching of the design and the painting at Whitireia.

He said he and the children wanted ‘‘joyful and colourful motifs’’ and that was what what they got.

Ms Gibbs said unveiling the work two weeks ago was a satisfying moment.

The mural was something her pupils could show off to their own children one day.

Pupil TJ Ioapo said the mural made him feel ‘‘proud’’.