PADDINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL MURAL

CONTEMPORARY MURAL IN HERITAGE CONTEXT

Lymesmith was commissioned to create a 125 sqm mural for the heritage listed Paddington Public Primary School’s playground. Lymesmith’s botanically themed work uses the native flora of the Eastern Suburbs as inspiration. Working with school community volunteers, the project evolved in front of the students over an intense week of painting. With generous sponsorship from Resene Paints, the urban playground has been transformed.

Murals in different locations result in different paintings. The aim is always to create connection and joy between people and their environments. The children and staff really enjoyed the process of watching & learning as the mural emerged. We made a couple of short videos capturing the responses of the staff and students, which you can view on Vimeo and on Instagram @lymesmithy.

Paddington Primary School Murals Interviews 1.3

colour + SCALE

A mural works at the scale of architecture, rather than at the scale of a room or a gallery wall. Therefore, its potential to interact with and transform a place, or a playground, or a building, is enormous, and enormously exciting. It’s risky, and bold. And yet the means are quite simple, just using paint and human hands.

At over 30m long, this mural creates an entirely new backdrop to a play space that was once dominated by brick, stone and asphalt. The asphalt and stone remain, but what you notice now are colours and shapes reminiscent of the natural world.

“It just used to look grey and not very fun, now it
looks happier.”

Student

“Now when you walk in, it’s completely engaging and the colours really pop out. It’s a lot more of an exciting and energising space to be in.”

Teacher

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Mural Design + Painting
Lymesmith + Christie Fearns Graphic Design

Mural Assistants
Christie Fearns
Phillip van de Haar

Photography
Alia Ardon; Lymesmith

Client
Paddington Primary School

Sponsorship
Resene Paints, Woollahra