The moment I heard about the ‘Floral Bench Painting Project’ our Artist-in-Residence was conducting, I knew I had to participate. I really enjoy art, and I appreciate learning from our Artist-in-Residence, Ms Esther Chow, who I know because she taught us when we were in Year 6. We previously worked on a Hong Kong cityscape diorama project with Ms Esther, and that experience really made me look forward to this new project.

Ms Esther could not have been more clear with her instructions for the procedure. A few of my friends also came along, and we watched her demonstrate as she gracefully streaked the brush, dipped in white paint, over the basic chalk outline she had drawn. Her friendly reminders on how to clean your brush echoed in the classroom as she wiped the excess paint off the paintbrush into the paint container. Painting the picnic bench was going to be fun!

One by one, we gradually painted our flowers on the bench. The bouquet of flowers I painted was a blueish violet, and it looked like mini roses. Ms Esther suggested that I consider not mixing colours, so this was easily adjusted and I learned that it’s never too late to change anything.

I think the most memorable aspects of this project were collaborating with others (at one point we had more than eight people squeezed into sitting on a single bench!) and learning new painting skills (of course). Learning to paint the flowers, not just one, but in an arrangement, was new to everyone. We learned how to make sure the different flowers complemented one another, and that meant cooperating (an essential key in pretty much everything) while studying how to paint the flowers. The attention to detail is particularly important in art, and this is also a crucial skill in many respects.

Overall, working with our Artist-In-Residence has inspired me, by encouraging me to learn new art forms and painting skills, as well as in collaborating with others, and to not be afraid to try new things. Painting has never been my strong suit, and yet I was very proud of the outcome. We now have a beautiful picnic bench for everyone on campus to enjoy. And you know, the flowers I painted actually look quite realistic. This project was evident proof that you should never be afraid to try anything, regardless of whether you’re confident or not. You’ll never know until you try!