Bomaderry High students exposed to meaningful piece of art

Long-serving educator Andrew FitzSimons and well-known artist Dora Rognvaldsdottir both know the importance of giving students access to beauty.

These two like-minded individuals collaborated to make something special for the students at Bomaderry High to enjoy.

The students, as they look at this magnificent piece of art on one of the school's buildings, can reflect on their life at school, get some inspiration and be ready to achieve greatness.

Mr FitzSimons and partner Liz Cuninghame wanted to do something to thank to everyone at Bomaderry High for the help they gave to their children Ruben and Veda.

They commissioned Dora to the work.

Dora loved being part of the process.

"It's a most wonderful commission that could have happened because it's such a wonderful gift to a public school and that is what makes it so incredibly special," she said.

"The trees are a reflection of the environment around Bomaderry High and they are also about the tree of wisdom and striving for your best."

Dora said she wanted something that was optimistic, majestic and inspiring.

She said the work had lots of symbolism in it and the vibrant colours reflect the school.

It's all about symbolism and working together and friendship - everything that happens in high school - it's the beginning of things for the rest of your life

Dora Rognvaldsdottir

Each time you look at the work you noticed something different.

It took Dora around a year to complete the piece but she did not work on it continuously and she invited others to work on the project with her from the Mad Cow Studio.

The bright mosaic work also includes striking aluminium pieces.

"You have the school colours and the flow - the flow of life underneath Bomaderry High School," Dora said.

"The Waratah is the school symbol and then I decided we needed a bud for new growth, new ideas and beginnings.

"You will see there are love hearts in the trees because this is when kids start to fall in love.

"You can see all those kids in all different poses because the kids need to relate to them."

One part shows a student helping another one up.

"It's all about symbolism and working together and friendship - everything that happens in high school - it's the beginning of things for the rest of your life," the artist said.

The globe is a prominent piece in the work as the artist wanted to show how important the world is to us all.

"The world is really important and we all need to look after it - this day and age more than ever," she said.

"We need to worship our world and respect it. It's paradise (the world) we live in paradise."

The work is not too abstract as Dora wanted to make it accessible to all but it does have a few hidden meanings.

Meanwhile, the need for beauty in a student's life first hit home for Mr FitzSimons when he was on exchange to a school in Denmark many years ago, while he was still at Shoalhaven High.

It proved to be a significant trip for him.

"I remember saying to them - why are you spending so much money on beautiful lights and beautiful fittings in your classroom? Their classrooms were gorgeous to see," he said.

"They looked at me like I was crazy and they said this is where young people grow up - where they get their sense of beauty and culture - so of course it's got to be beautiful.

"Ever since then I believed art can really help and encourage us."

Mr FitzSimons first met Dora at Shoalhaven High and was happy to be in her artistic hands.

"She (Dora) is a remarkable woman," Mr FitzSimons said.

He was happy for Dora to take the artistic lead.

"She consulted me a bit but it was her vision," Mr FitzSimons said.

He snuck in early one morning, before the recent official unveiling, to get a look at the work.

"I just could not resist coming in and it's great - gobsmacking," he said.

Ruben and Veda are depicted, along with many other figures in the work

"It's a way to say welcome to Bomaderry High School," he said.

Rebun and Veda have only seen photos of the work.

"They are thrilled by the work and a bit humbled," he said.

He said the recent official unveiling was a proud moment.