SIXTEEN art students have let people know just how much they love Wellington Point by putting their thoughts down as a mural on a QR railway tunnel.
The Year 12 visual art students from Redlands College have transformed the rail underpass near their school.
Art teacher Jenny Burgess said the pupils had worked on the project – which is just north of the Wellington Point station – for about six months.
Composed as a mural, the work is based on a quote by author and prominent New Age movement leader Deepak Chopra who wrote: “There are no extra pieces of the universe. Everyone is here because she or he has a place to fill and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle of life.”
The students contributed pieces to the puzzle by painting different aspects of life in their suburb, from the fauna and flora to the landscape and activities locals know and love.
This week the pupils handed over the work to Queensland Rail which has 145 murals spread across its property.
A QR spokeswoman said it had been a long but enjoyable project through which the students had built community relations as people walked through the Cleveland line tunnel.
“People loved engaging in the process,” she said.
QR’s Daniel Brock said the organisation’s Positive pARTnerships Program was worked up by Ms Burgess.
“Late last year, Jenny … proposed for the Year 12 visual art students to adorn the rail underpass near the school as part of their senior assessment,” Mr Brock said.
“We felt the proposal had merit, not only to embellish what was otherwise a plain, concrete rail underpass, but also to allow local students to leave their mark and create a sense of community ownership and pride.
“Queensland Rail supported the students by hosting a number of workshops to develop the painting process, prepping the wall for the works, covering the cost and supplying the equipment, as well as applying a graffiti proof coating on the mural upon its completion.”
Ms Burgess said designing and painting the mural had given her students the opportunity to create lasting art and learn new techniques.
“We’re thankful that this collaboration was able to go ahead and give our senior visual art students a common goal to create throughout their final school year,” said Ms Burgess.
“...It is a beautiful parting gift from this year’s seniors not only to our school and students, but to the wider community too.”