On Friday, 6th Dec, we said goodbye to our artist in residence, Ira Mitchell, with a farewell in front of the art studio.

Ira has been with us for Term Four, leading our Tūrakawaewae Murals Project. Our Year Nine and Ten students have worked very hard researching, designing and painting nine murals depicting the history of our takiwā, Waitaki,  and our kura, St Kevin's College. The finishing touches were put on the murals only yesterday, just in time before the Year Ten students leave for camp. 

Ira was thanked with two cards made by Georgia Thornley, Lulu Heyes and Katherine Fountaine. Ikuna Prescott and Warren Pardede led all the Year 9's and 10s for the haka, and the Kapa Haka group performed the waiata, Tau Ana. 
A formal opening will be held in Term One next year when the panels have been installed in the upper quad.

Kā mihi nunui ki a koutou katoa!
Thank you especially to Ira Mitchell, Michelle Buckham, Tim Hitchcock, and Sara Plunkett for their vision, expertise, and stamina in seeing the project through to completion. 

A special thanks to Ken McCallum for your help cutting the panels and ongoing project support.
Many thanks to all the students for their hard work and the teacher's guidance. 
Thanks to Creatives In Schools for the funding and Resene for the paints.

Ira, you are an art star! We will all miss you and wish you all the best for the future.

📹 Michelle Buckham
 

Article added: Monday 09 December 2024