Dragons, rainbows, pussy cats, people, rabbits the beach are what makes 11 Western Bay of Plenty primary school students’ hearts sing.

These thoughts feature on two new murals in Katikati, to be viewed for years to come, after being unveiled in front of the eagerly-waiting little artists and whānau on June 26.

The murals’ theme was ‘What makes your heart sing?’.

The students – which were new-entrants at Pahoia, Matahui, Katikati Primary and Waihī Beach schools when they created the artwork last year – were selected to bring to life the Katikati Open Air Art (KOOA) project ‘The Youth Boards’.

The students involved were River and Astrid from Katikati Primary, Elora, Gaige and Van from Matahui, Willow and Ila from Pahoia, and Ellise, Myah, Phoebe and Jay from Waihi Beach School.

All were aged 5-7 when they painted the murals last year.

The project of two murals – each split between two schools – is placed on two frames outside The Arts Junction on Katikati’s Main Rd.

KOOA manager Peri St. John-Ives spearheaded the project, which saw her and Ōmokoroa artist John Wilson go into the schools to work on the project with students.

St. John-Ives took one lesson at each school, teaching art skills, then Wilson followed up with a second lesson to help students paint their artwork on the mural boards.

“He’s incredible, he’s a published United Kingdom artist. He helped the children just learn about how to make such a big piece,” said St. John-Ives.

Free-minded

Wilson said he’d done projects mixing young students’ work with that of adult published artists back in the UK, but this was his first since moving to NZ a decade ago.

“When I go into school I think I learn as much as they do!”

Wilson said the ideas young children come up with are “free-minded”.

“The thing with children aged 4,5,6 is that they have no inhibitions – you say: ‘Do a painting of me’ and they won’t even probably look at you.

“They’ll just go ahead and not even think about what they’re doing, what colours they’re using or anything and so it’s all natural.”

The moment children and their whanau gathered to see the murals unveiled, outside The Arts Junction. Photo / Merle Cave

St. John-Ives said: “We had no idea how it was going to go because it was quite a big undertaking. We wondered if the children would lose interest after five minutes, but what we saw was incredible.

“The moment they picked up a brush they became focused, calm and absorbed in their work, and were still painting peacefully an hour later.”

Remind us

St. John-Ives said the murals’ theme ‘What makes your heart sing?’ “is to remind us of the simple things in life that bring us joy, before it was about houses and phones and cars.”.

The mural, in Katikati, created by Waihi Beach and Matahui students. Photo / Merle Cave

Rebecca Clarke was excited for her daughter Astrid Coombes, now Year 1 at Katikati Primary School, to participate.

“For her, we can now bring family into town and show them what she has done. It’s awesome and good for her confidence, as she loves art and painting.”

Waihi Beach School Year 1 Tay Hope said he enjoyed creating the artwork last year – now he wanted to bring dad along to see it.

“It was absolutely incredible to see all the kids’ faces light up and how proud they were to show us what they achieved,” said Tay’s mother Kelly Hope.

A family tradition

Katikati Primary School (KKPS) Year 1 student River Henderson, 6, had carried on a family tradition of working on KOOA murals by taking part.

“His Aunty Melissa helped make the tile mosaics at KKPS and I was a model for one of the cut-out people which are still at the school,” said River’s mother Rochelle Henderson.

“So it’s quite cool that this has carried on through the family.”

The mural, in Katikati, created by Pahoia and Katikati students. Photo / Merle Cave

River said he painted the rainbow and some flowers.

“I liked doing this because I could be with my friends.”

He also liked the art gift and pizza lunch gifted to him at the unveiling.

St. John-Ives thanked Harcourts Katikati, Creative Bay of Plenty’s Creative Community Scheme and MenzShed Katikati for their support.

The murals ‘What Makes my Heart Sing’ are number 91 on KOOA’s Mural Map and located at 36 Main Rd, Katikati, on the grass by The Arts Junction and Taste of Punjab store.