A £15,000 LOTTERY grant has enabled a local artist to create a unique landmark in a Douglas school.
Fairfield Junior School has collaborated with local artist Chris Roberts to produce 10 paintings which will brighten up a drab stairwell that is used daily by pupils.
The project, made possible by funding from the Manx Lottery Trust, has seen Chris, 61 from Sulby, working alongside pupils four days a week since last May.
Now the school is ready to unveil the paintings which depict life in general and at the school. They have taken 1,632 hours to complete in Dulux matt emulsion and involve 3,790 colour mixes.
Chris graduated with a degree in fine art and design from Liverpool University and has worked as an artist and designer in the UK, Europe and America. He moved to the Island in 1997.
He worked for six hours each day at the school and groups of children visited him in the art room to bring him ideas and input. The pupils also set up their own lunchtime art club which has 24 members after being inspired by the project.
Chris said: "Few adults let alone children get the opportunity to observe and work with a professional artist.
"Fairfield's children witnessed the entire process from the priming of the bare boards through to my signing off the paintings. I could fill a volume with their questions all of which were intelligent.
"Art taught in theory is fine but especially in a junior school environment certain technical skills will understandably be lacking and to be able to witness the skills and intellectual processes involved in creating a work of art are a priceless gift to children so young.
"To the best of my knowledge this is the first project of its kind in the Isle of Man. Indeed very few state schools in the UK can boast such initiatives.
"I applaud headteacher Ian Walmsley for his imagination in launching this ground-breaking project. It has been one of the most stimulating of my career and it has been a privilege to work with the school, its headteacher and its pupils."
Fairfield School is inviting the public to the unveiling on Thursday, June 2 at 1.30pm. On that day products including jewellery and stationary which have been made by the pupils will be on sale as part of Mini-Enterprise Week.
Headteacher Ian Walmsley said: "Pupils have been learning all about manufacturing and commerce and to give them hands-on experience we are asking them to design and create their own products to sell with the profits going towards their playground.
"The fact the community, rather than their parents, will buy their work and they will see tangible results in terms of improved facilities will make it a real experience."
