Rainbow Serpent outside the Science building
Picture this: golden autumn light filtering over a group of Senior Campus students creating a rainbow serpent* in chalk on the pavement outside the Science Block. The shape of the serpent enclosed each student’s drawing, each as individual as their creators, with students slowly talking and working collaboratively to enable each section to make sense.
A drawing like this is challenging as you work with a messy chalk material that can spike anxiety if you like to have clean hands and challenge you as you need to accept the drawing styles and ideas of others. This was our aim. Through the process of drawing this serpent, students had a taster of inclusivity and diversity, in the form of an artwork.
Thanks to the fabulous Ms Cleine for coordinating this collaboration, and to the Homestead staff for helping to make it happen.
*The Rainbow Serpent is a childhood favourite storybook, written by Dick Roughsey in 1975, around the time Woodleigh started. Roughsey or Goobalathaldin, was from Langu-narnji country, close by Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Goobalathaldin was a consultant to the council of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies in the 70’s and the first chairman of the Aboriginal Arts Board in 1972.