By Eleanor Wilson
Bookworms at Berwick Lodge Primary School can rejoice as a community-minded library box hits the school’s main office.
A set of two library boxes were kindly built and donated to the school by the Akoonah Park Men’s Shed, who have spent several weeks making them in the shed’s woodwork room.
Once the boxes were donated, Year 5/6 students from the school’s art club got hard at work to bring the boxes to life.
An Indigenous theme was chosen for the first box, which saw the box covered in traditional dot paintings, animals and a welcoming message reading ‘Wominjeka’ – welcome in the Woi wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
“I’m trying to bring a lot more Indigenous art into the classroom,” art teacher Jo Zammit said.
“They all had a go, we’ve used acrylic paint and Posca pens for the details. They designed the drawings and everything by themselves.”
Akoonah Park Men’s Shed member Phil Lardner, who helped build the boxes, said he was impressed with the painting.
“I think all the kids deserve a good pat on the back,” he said.
The students will now turn their attention to painting the second library box, which will be located on the school grounds for students to borrow from and donate books.
The second box will be inspired by art by Australian artist Peter Cromer, famous for his contemporary work depicting Australian animals.
