Mural contest brings Great North Road alive

Clean Projects competition attracted various creative works from locals.

November 4, 2023

Ntombikayise Sibeko 2 minutes read

A team from Tom Newby School came in numbers to support Jani Dorrington, an arts teacher at the school who conceptualised her idea of Benoni into a mural.

Budding artists from 18 schools in Benoni transformed Wordsworth High School’s bland white wall in Great North Road into a splash of artistic expression during Clean Projects’ schools mural competition on October 28.

Bright colours, bold lines and drawings came to life as participants painted interactive murals as part of Clean Projects’ brief.

The schools included Ridgewood College, The Mustard Seed Primary, Rynfield Pre Primary, Wordsworth High School, Kempton Panorama LSN, Arbor Primary, Benoni Nursery School, Hoërskool Hans Moore, Tom Newby, Willowmore High, Art Alive Art School, Farrarmere Primary, St Columba’s, Country Kids Pre-School, Rynfield Primary, St Dunstan’s College, Benoni High School and Little Oaks and Oaks Private Academy.

From as early as 07:00 participants were already preparing their workstation as each school were given an adequate space to flourish.

According to Alison Etherington of Clean Projects, on a particular day, while cutting the grass on the veld opposite Wordsworth High, she couldn’t help but notice the dull wall.

“The wall looked very sad and the painting had faded so I thought what better way to change this than by getting schools involved? Of the 18 schools that we had one of the schools was from Kempton Park.”

Etherington indicated that pictures of all the paintings will be posted on Facebook and Instagram and whichever school received the most likes and votes will be crowned winners.

Winners will receive amazing prizes including R5 000 cash from Hammond Pole Attorneys (first prize), R4 000 from Country Kids Pre-School, R3 000 from Oracle Training Consultancy, R2 000 from My China and Art hampers from Art Alive Art School and Arrow Stationers.

Clean Projects team said the 2023 Schools Mural Competition was a success.

Learners of Wordsworth High School were all in good spirits during the Clean Projects schools mural competition on October 28.

Speaking to Art Alive Art School owner, Elaine Marx who was hard at work with her team said the concept behind their painting was inspired by Benoni being the city of lakes.

“Because there are so many lakes in Benoni which attracts many people to the lakes with their sailboats. Our painting tells a good story about Benoni that you can spend your weekend at Homestead Dam or any of our lakes,” said Marx.

She shared that she arrived early at the site and did the sketches on the wall so that when her students and parents arrived later they could just paint according to the numbers that were displayed on the sketches.

Rourke Lyke of Art Alive Art Schools got down to the business of painting the school’s wall.

The Willowmore High Grade 11 learners’ mural was inspired by the Springboks and the diversity of the country. Here are learners Lwazi Khumalo, Onkgolele Nthle, Bongane Siziba, Tasmiya Moola, Thato Leshabane and Samatha Chifamba hard at work with their art teacher, Sizwe Mbonani (left), who guided them every stroke of the way.

Wordsworth High School art teacher Lesedi Moropane said their concept revolved around the country as a rainbow nation, pollution as a social ill which is what Clean Projects is about and paying homage to Benoni’s icon, Charlize Theron.

Also Read: WATCH: Clean Projects set their sights on the city’s youth

Also Read: Business owner inspired to clean up road

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