Yetman Public School kids added splashes of colour to the Yetman Amenities Block on Tuesday under the watchful eyes of artist Kelly Jones from Coolatai.
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Temp teacher Kate Dight worked on the mural with the kids, swapping her hat as an Inverell Shire Councillor with that of her other position as an educator. Of course, the lines between the two roles were blurred on Tuesday as kids learned how to become better citizens by showing community spirit and a desire to beautify their town.
The students workshopped themes and brainstormed what makes Yetman special.
They finally agreed on a design to depict Yetman’s landscape and the unique biodiversity of the Border Rivers.
The entire student population of Yetman Public School assisted with the mural, with the classroom moving outdoors as students transformed the 12-metre wide blank canvas.
The transformation of the Yetman Amenities Block is just the latest addition to works around the region by the same artist.
Recently, she worked on the Albury Street mural installation at the front of the Rural Transaction Centre in Ashford. And she is gathering an avid following thanks to her works popping around rural and remote locations.
Mayor Paul Harmon is happy with the design. “It’s terrific to have Kelly on board for these murals and her creativity has spurred plenty of enthusiasm among the Yetman students. Her work in Ashford’s main street has been received well and really added another element to Albury Street,” he said.
“Kelly is a great believer in public art’s ability to forge a unique identity for a community and also offer a reason for travellers to stop and look around villages such as Yetman and Ashford.”
The work will be fully finished in a week and unveiled by the Yetman community. (Just watch this space for the final result)
Murals such as this one are helping people to see up close how a splash of colour can transform their environment.
The work is part of a broader It Starts with You project - a year-long initiative of youth activities, supported by Inverell Shire Council and funded by NSW Youth Opportunities program.
“The project is all about offering youth right across the shire opportunities to be involved in their community,” Cr Harmon said.
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Council’s youth program will also see contemporary art classes held at Inverell Art Gallery later in the year along with further free movie nights in village halls.
