Mural Masterpieces - Waipahihi School

Location:
Waipahihi School, Taupo (inside hall).

Team:
Approx 200 school children year 4-6, parent helpers and teachers.

Accessible to public:
No.

Mural theme:
Waipahihi Kakariki. We are part of the ‘Kids greening Taupo’ initiative to bring back the native birds.

Background to mural creation:
The mural actually began years before they knew about Waipahihi Kakariki but the original theme and drawing fits in perfectly with the school-wide enquiry on Waipahihi Kakariki.

The project started 5 years ago when the school held a ‘design a mural competition’. It was then put in the ‘too hard basket’ as the location was tricky.

Years later Beth Willis was asked to take a lunchtime art group and handed the mural project. Luckily the new school caretaker was a builder, so he hired a scissor lift and measured and cut the giant jigsaw puzzle.

Edan, a school dad, then took the first draft and used that to create the final design, based on the original and using NZ artists for inspiration. The Moa was inspired by Paul Martinson – Heavy Footed Moa. The native birds were included as a reminder of past and present, with the Moa and Huia reminding everyone to look after what we have.