Big Mural
Workshop in Wollongong, Austraria
8 February - 16 February 1997
UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG, Albion Park Rail
ART JAPAN
EXHIBITION
University of wollongong
Wollongong City Gallery
New South Wales State Office Block, Wollongong
The Faculty of Education at the University of Wollongong and teachers and students from schools in the Illawarra area combined forces to produce the Australian mural for the "KIDS' GUERNICA" project . Lead by Ian Brown, lecturer inVisual Arts Education, five teachers and sixty children were involved in the project. Children were asked at the five schools to produce a painting which depicted peace and reconciliation. From over 200 paintings to choose from the five teachers made a composite or blended image from a number of paintings.
One painting in particular, from Bulli High School, had many of the features the teachers were looking for: the theme of peace and symbols to represent reconciliation while including symbols that were distinctly Australian: flora and fauna. The mural design also had a very heavy Koori (Aboriginal) influence, including the Aboriginal flag and colours of red, yellow and black.
Wollongong which is New South Wales third largest city is located one hour south of Sydney. It is a beuatiful area with wonderful beaches surrounded by rainforest so the mural also also depicts the surrounding area. Peace and tranquility of the natural environment. The mural project has allowed many children to be directly and indirectly involved in expressing their views of peace and importantly reconciliation in a visual way. One school involved children who were also Aboriginal, hence the strong Koori influence.

ORGANISER OF WORKSHOP
Ian BROWN (Director of Practicum, Lecturer Visual Arts Education)

TEACHER:
Mr Scott Copland
Mr Greg Thompson
Ms Ingrid Richardson
Ms Kerina Swords
Mr Steve Orton

COLLABORATION:
Illaroo Road Primary School
Albion Park Rail Primary School
Bowral Primary School
Bulli High School
Nowra East primary School

SUPPORTED BY:
Vice Chancellor, University of wollongong
Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong
Department of School Education, Wollongong


PANASONIC

Children:
Gareth McGuire, 10
Racel Thompson, 10
Grant Chinchen, 11
Emma Hawthorne, 11
Megan Soper , 11
Megan Gray-Deakes , 11
Karl Tonacia, 11
John Gwilliam, 11
Ashleigh Carnelutti, 11
Betty Smith, 11
Hayley Cox, 11
Tara Leslie, 11
Warren Wellington, 11
Lee Tought, 11
Jessica Arvela, 11
Bradley Ross, 11
Amy Stewart, 11
Emma Savell, 11
Elise Cameron, 11
Teneale Cameron, 11
Amelia Ramsay, 11
Alice Thompson, 11
Alice Davis, 11
Susannah Kay, 11
Rebecca Cropper, 11
Margaret Walker, 11
Lauren Forionge, 11
Rohan Wilkins, 11
Kylie Smith, 12
Sandy Smith, 13
Hayley O'Brien, 13
Rebecca Greaves, 13
Jodie Kellet, 13
George Broadfoot, 13
Lyndal Johnston, 13
Simone Ostwald, 13
Tracy Estenwysen, 13