Kooringal High School students have helped to create a community wall mural, combining their creative skills with international street artist, Damien Mitchell, to produce the work.
Mr Mitchell, a former student at Kooringal High, ran workshops with the students in May to develop a mural design that reflects the local area.
Wagga Wagga City Council Cultural Officer, Lauren Reynolds said the artwork is the last of four Neighbourhood Engagement projects from the Council’s Public Art Plan 2022-2026, which aims to enrich local public spaces with public art.
“We’ve created new public artworks in Tolland, Mount Austin, Ashmont, and now Kooringal. And for each of those projects, we connected with one of the local schools to collaborate with artists and produce great new public artworks,” Ms Reynolds said.
The artwork features native plants and birdlife found in Wagga Wagga. Flowers such as Kangaroo Paw, Golden Wattle and Waratahs are threaded through the word ‘Kooringal’, which is bookended by a Superb Parrot and a Cockatoo. Traditional indigenous patterns drawn by a First Nations student are layered throughout the background.
“This project is particularly special, because Damien grew up here in Wagga Wagga,” Ms Reynolds said.
“He’s such a great example of what you can achieve. Being a student at Kooringal High then going on to be an international artist, it’s pretty impressive. And now he’s here connecting with the students and hopefully inspiring the next generation.”
Mr Mitchell said he never would have imagined the interesting places his art would take him.
“You know, I wasn’t the best student. I did a lot of this art growing up and I didn’t imagine it would take me anywhere, you know? But, gosh, I’ve been able to travel. Recently I was in Mongolia for a project. I’ve painted in Ghana, painted all over North and South America. I lived in Europe for ten years. It’s taken me everywhere,” he said.
He said the students chatted, laughed and sang along to music while they painted.
“The experience itself is just really fun,” said Year 8 student, Phoebe.
“Everyone’s really happy, and I don’t think I’ve seen a single frown yet.”
Her friend and fellow student, Matilda, agreed, saying: “I think it’s all the people here. We’ve just had such a real time. You can hear from the background music, people partying, singing songs.”
When asked what they have enjoyed about the project, Phoebe initially said “skipping school”, but also shared that she has been drawing more during her break times.
“For me, the best thing about being involved is getting to see the process. I’ve learnt quite a lot about shading and highlights and centre of lights, things like that,” she said.
“I’m also really enjoying that we get to do something good for the community, changing the wall design, making it really pretty. So, when kids walk to school every day, they can see it and think, ‘Wow, it’s really cool.’ Having an impact in this community just feels really nice.”
Mr Mitchell said the students have learnt a lot more from the process than just the art.
“Painting outdoors is a full contact sport, you know? There are a lot of different factors that have nothing to do with painting. Like, organising access, organising enough materials, the weather can play a role. Sometimes it’s not comfortable. Sometimes it’s a lot of work. But the payoff is also there.”
The artist said coming back to Kooringal for this project “means the world” to him.
“This is full circle stuff. I believe in this art form being taught by its practitioners – ‘each one, teach one’. That’s how it gets stronger, and where better to do it than where you first started painting?”
Ms Reynolds said the project helped to instil a sense of neighbourhood pride in the students.
“They get a real sense of ownership and pride in the artwork, which helps protect it, because they can advocate for the artwork with their friends and their community,” she said.
“And for the neighbourhood, it brings some more vibrancy to this park area.”
For Phoebe, having her work on display in such a public way is satisfying.
“I feel so proud that people are gonna see this, it’s not just gonna stay hidden in a sketchbook,” she said.
