PENOLA High School students are currently transforming the inner-walls of Beach Energy’s Penola office through a ‘concept to canvas’ art exercise.
Themes relevant to the Penola and Coonawarra districts have been entwined in the artwork, which is being created by a handful of students.
Penola High School art teacher Aimee Moretti said Beach Energy approached her with the proposal, taking up the offer to provide children with an authentic learning experience.
“Jon Conti said Beach wanted something based around local content, such as wineries and agriculture,” Ms Moretti said.
“The students then started brainstorming some ideas and began their drawings before we collected them all together.
“Following that we came down to the office and had a look at the space to see what could go where before planning a draft.”
Ms Moretti said students had focused on working from the draft as they sketch and paint their ideas onto the walls.
“The students have been learning about colour mixing as well as how to get their ideas from paper onto the wall,” she said.
The project is in its 10th week with students attending the Beach Energy office twice a week to work on the mammoth mural.
“It has been great having the authentic learning,” Ms Moretti said.
“The kids can see themselves actually being a part of the community and being an artist and what that can produce.
“It is much better than them sitting in the classroom and being told what their options are because instead they are being shown that opportunity right infront of them.”
Beach Energy regional manager Jon Conti said the company was pleased to partner with the talented and creative high school students.
“After recently renovating the shed and essentially having a blank canvas with lots of white space, we contacted the school and threw the idea open to the teachers,” Mr Conti said.
“They took the project on with a lot of passion and it has been both exciting and rewarding to see the kids bring their ideas from concept to reality.”
The project will be completed in the coming weeks, with the local office also being used for the Pink Up Penola launch party this Friday.
