Community art collaboration at Maldon

January 28, 2022 Connecting communities

Maldon Preschool’s staff and children were very excited as the results of two years of artistic contributions and collaboration are now on view and able to be enjoyed, not just by those at the Preschool, but by the wider community.

A 2m long mosaic was unveiled at the end of last year and has added an attractive focal point to the front wall of the kindergarten.

The mosaic is the culmination of art sessions at the Preschool with the children, as well as community outreach activities and incorporates links to families of the region and the local environment. The kinder held stalls at local markets and invited past families and community members to create tiles.

As a result, it contains elements from many who have had attended or had connections with the Preschool over the years that it has been operating. There are tiles created by families with an involvement in the preschool over three generations.

Local artists, Ann Ferguson and Andrea Ebsworth contributed their time and talents, working with the Preschool’s children and educators to make tiles and designing and overseeing the creation of the mosaic.

“This project began as a way to beautify our preschool streetscape and connect the talents of local artists with present and past members of the preschool community. We hope that all our past families continue to see themselves as part of our kinder community,” said Leone Wallace, Kindergarten Teacher, Maldon Preschool.

“I’d also like to say a huge thank you to Ann Ferguson and Andrea Ebsworth, our local ceramic artists, as well as past teachers and committee members for their involvement and support of the project,” Ms Wallace added.

This project has been especially significant in providing a focus for indigenous culture and links to local flora and a way of connecting to the wider community.

The development of the mosaic has been part of the Preschool’s emphasis on understanding the link to the Country and the connection to the local landmark, Mt Tarrengower, and encouraging the appreciation and exploration of the immediate environment.