St Brigid’s School (Johnsonville) recently engaged talented Wellington-based artist and illustrator Margaret Tolland to create a series of murals around the school grounds. This project aimed to refresh and enliven the school’s outdoor environment, and followed the installation of a large barrel canopy in January – marking the final stage of this exciting outdoor transformation.
The murals reflect key aspects of the school’s identity – including a tribute to patron saint, St Brigid, a vibrant visual representation of the school values, and a colourful celebration of the school team manu (birds): Titipounamu (Years 0-3), Tūī (Years 4-6), and Kākā (Years 7/8) in Aotearoa New Zealand nature.
“The transformed space looks absolutely fabulous – full of life, colour and meaning. We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of this vibrant and inspiring addition to our school environment,” said Jennifer Ioannou, Principal/Tumuaki.
“We are incredibly grateful to Margaret Tolland for sharing her creative talents with us and for so beautifully supporting our vision to renew and enhance our outdoor spaces. Her work will undoubtedly inspire our tamariki for years to come,” Jennifer added.
Margaret Tolland is a full-time artist and illustrator, with a background as a secondary school art teacher and Art Educator at Pātaka Art + Museum. In 2024, she illustrated the award-winning book Nani Jo me ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga, which received a New Zealand Book Award – a testament to her skill and passion for visual storytelling.
