CLC Carpark mural unveiled to celebrate FLO

NASSSA CLC FLO students in collaboration with Playford City Council and street artist Jimmy, paint a vibrant display celebrating FLO at NASC last term.

Featuring connected puzzle pieces, pop culture references and symbolic educational motifs, students designed and painted the mural as part of Mission Australia’s SALA Art Program.

“We had spoken to the City of Playford and interacted with a SALA Independent Artist who had done previous work with the council,” says Melissa Capurso, Mission Australia case manager working at NASC.

“The idea and concept was to finish off the mural started by Playford with representation of what FLO at NASC is for our students.”

Mel says that the program was a success, with students learning new spray-painting techniques and creative problem solving.

“Jimmy was really great, he sat with the kids and took the time out to brainstorm ideas of what specific things in FLO meant to the students,” says Mel.

“They started with some cardboard and spray-painted to see what was going to work and what wasn’t going to work.

“The final product was that we used those cardboards as a backdrop for the mural.”

Cecilia S., a FLO student studying at NASC, thought that the experience was nerve-wracking but fun.

“It was awesome. We did different stuff with different stencils. It was my second time spray painting. I only spray painted the day before,” smiles Cecilia.

“He showed me how to do it and then he would let us do little sections by ourselves in our own time. Apparently, I was a natural.

“I did the leaves, some of the orange diamonds and the flame hearts.”

Douglas C., who painted the spider webs on the FLO mural, joined the class because he wanted to be a part of something big and important.

“I love the FLO mural because I thought it would be fun to do because it’s so fun and big, something important, something beautiful. I thought I had to be a part of this,” says Douglas.

“I’d totally recommend people to try spray painting and stenciling if you have the spare time and supplies. It’s so worth it and kind of amazing.”

The artist was a firm favourite amongst the students.

“It was really good working with him,” says Cecilia.

“If you were in a bad mood and you were upset about something, you would instantly be happy and all the bad stuff in your mind would disappear and it will all be good.”

“It was so easy to bounce ideas back and forth and there was never any wrong idea. Which is how it should be with art,” agrees Douglas.

“That was how I started getting into art this year, it’s actually different here and there’s no wrong way to do art and I realised that here. It’s refreshing.”

FLO programs allow our students flexibility to learn valuable life skills while completing their Stage I SACE at NASC.

“It’s been one of the greatest things ever,” says Douglas.

“Having just that little bit of extra support I get with FLO has been so beneficial, and I have gotten a lot better with life skills that I was lacking in last year.

“It’s helped me grow a lot and I think anyone who gets to be involved with FLO is incredibly lucky and I wish a lot more people could be a part of FLO.”

If you, or someone you know, is interested in joining our FLO programs for 2021 contact Northern Adelaide Senior College on (08) 7285 1600 to find out more.