Pupils take art to heart in new land

Horahora school pupil Noah Messine, 6, checks the result of his first attempt at screenprinting on a T-shirt. Photo / John Stone

When Cambodian Sokhech Chethra moved to Whangarei a year ago, she could hardly speak English let alone put ink to paper.

Now the 11-year-old Horahora Primary School pupil wants to become an artist, even though her mother wants her to study medicine.

Sokhech was among six pupils from her school who participated in a workshop printing on T-shirts and paper under the tutelage of artist Sharon Thompson at the Quarry Arts' Centre's print shop yesterday.

The Basin Arts and Crafts House (BACH) sponsored the workshop as a prize to three students from the school who won the top prize in a Hundertwasser art competition for the regional school in June. The three then nominated a friend each to accompany them to the Quarry Art Centre.

Sokhech's favourite drawings are mountains and flowers and she hopes to have a future as an artist.

"I learnt from my elder brother who used to draw every day. He loves drawing animals. When we moved to New Zealand, I could only speak yes, no, and okay. My mum wants me to be a doctor but I love artwork and want to be an artist," she said.

Noah Messine, 6, likes house illustrations in drawings which attracted him to paintings by Hundertwasser.

"My teacher showed me some photos of his [Hundertwasser's] artwork and when I did the drawings, they came alright. But my favourite is cars ... I am pretty good at drawing them."

Ms Thompson, a screenprinter and textile designer, said the children were fun to work with. They did their own interpretation of Hundertwasser's artwork during the competition in June which was beautiful, she said.

"They've got that creativity and freedom and they always take that extra step."

Others who participated in the workshop were Stephanie Palmer, Mahi Humaira, Miya McKay, and Iriqois Stowers. Mahi was awarded a framed certificate and a handmade trophy after her Hundertwasser painting scooped the top prize in the school's competition.

She migrated with her parents to Whangarei from Bangladesh and her drawings adorn the walls of the family's central Whangarei home.