WALTHAMSTOW: Community mosaic unveiled (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Community mosaic unveiled at Winns Primary School in Walthamstow

10:12am Tuesday 11th May 2010 in News By Mhairi Macfarlane

A WALL in a school has been transformed with a colourful hand-made mosaic of iconic sights from around the borough.

The creation was the culmination of months of hard graft by students at Winns Primary School in Fleeming Road, with help from a group of eight local artists who ran drawing and ceramic workshops with about 400 students.

The impressive finished result takes pride of place in the school playground and was unveiled on Friday (May 7) by former pupil and Olympic sprinter, Jeanette Kwakye on Friday.

During the project, the children drew significant buildings and scenery in the area, then returned to school with their inspiration for the mosaic.

With the help of the artists, a map of the area was created and the images were moulded into clay with mosaic tiles, which include the Town Hall, William Morris Gallery, both in Forest Road, and the former EMD cinema in Hoe Street.

Ceramic artist and founder of Artyface, which runs mosaic projects in schools and the community, Maud Milton, 37, said: “It was really about taking pride in the community and the children improving their environment and taking pride in it.

“They learnt lots of new skills, everyone learnt about ceramic techniques and it is a lovely, hand-made piece of community art. The whole community will be able to enjoy it. It is massive and will last, so it is a legacy for the generations to come.”

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter