The students were originally creating a mural for a class assessment in which they had eight weeks to create a pop art version of a musician. Some of the musicians chosen were Ed Sheeran, Rhianna, Lorde, Sam Smith and Adele. 

Creative and performing arts coordinator Brendan O’Keeffe got in touch with Steve Warren, owner of The Old Exchange, who wanted a mural and was open to any subject matter. 

At a one day incursion the students were then asked to do a timber transfer of their best work before spray painting a galaxy onto the background. 

“We’ve been taught how to create galaxies since year six so it’s something we all knew how to do,” art student Hannah Whyte said.

The daunting experience for the students has received amazing reviews from the community which has been sharing photos of the mural on social media.

 “Having their own work out in public is quite rewarding for the students because it’s not teacher and peers telling them how good it is,” art teacher Brendan O’Keeffe said.  

The year 10 students were chosen to create the mural because Mr O’Keeffe taught the class and found that year 10 students had more creative skills then those in year nine. 

“The level of maturity is at a different level in year ten and we didn’t want to take focus away from the preliminary finals that year 11 would be doing,” he said. 

Students said they had found the process to be quite challenging.  

“It was tough at times,” Caitlin Graham said. 

“We had to get the colours and contrasts just right and if it wasn’t balanced then we would have to even it out,” Leah Edwards said. 

The students were proud of their work and excited that the community gets to see it. 

“It was challenging to work as a big group because we had juxtaposing ideas but it all worked out in the end,” Zackary Durnford said. 

“This experience is just something that can’t happen in a classroom,” Mr O’Keeffe said. 

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Mr O’Keeffe said that this shows that art can continue out of the classroom and shows students  that they can continue art into University. 

“This gives students the confidence to achieve their goals,” he said. 

Mr O’Keeffe said that having local artists coming to the school inspires the kids and its a change in pace. 

“It shows them something new, a new technique or style of doing things, it also allows them to see the pathways to becoming artists,” he said.