BEWARE: Spider Crabs are coming to Rye! They’ve been spotted by members of Rye Beach Community Action Group near an arts’ project by Rye Primary School pupils.
But relax: Their arrival is all part of a large mosaic art piece called: The invasion of the spider crabs, by artist Simon Normand.
Mr Normand designed the artwork with assistance from the pupils during the mosaic process. It is on the wall of the toilet block facing the community playground, which also came about through the efforts of the action group.
“We decided we wanted something beautiful for the Rye community and set about making it happen with our own funds and an arts-and-culture grant from the Mornington Peninsula Shire,” president Michael Wittingslow said.
Mr Normand asked grades 5 and 6 pupils to draw pictures of local flora and fauna and advised on what they should do to make their drawings suitable for mosaics. His basic rule was: keep it simple!
Drawings by 12 pupils were selected as part of the major work, but all students were involved: from smashing tiles – there were many volunteers for this – to placing them on the mosaic work.
Principal Jackie Annable is delighted with the progress of the collaborative project, and hopes the school will be involved in others. Grade coordinator Sandi Emille said the children had been “involved and enthusiastic” about working with the artist.
Mr Normand is artist-in-residence at Police Point shire park. His other works are at the Austin Hospital, and Elgin Park, Hawthorn.
It is hoped the Rye artwork will be completed and in place by New Year.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 15 December 2015
