Last Sunday Maldon Preschool unveiled their beautiful decorative mosaic. Located at the front of the preschool the mosaic pays tribute to the local area and Mt Tarrengower. 

The two metre long project is the culmination of art sessions at the preschool with the children, as well as community outreach activities and incorporates links to families of the region and the local environment.

“This project began as a way to beautify our preschool streetscape and connect the talents of local artists with present and past members of the preschool community. We hope that all our past families continue to see themselves as part of our kinder community,” said Leone Wallace, Kindergarten Teacher, Maldon Preschool.

The kinder held stalls at local markets and invited past families and community members to create tiles. As a result, it contains elements from many who have had attended or had connections with the Preschool over the years that it has been operating. There are tiles created by families with an involvement in the preschool over three generations. 

Alongside the Bush Kinder program, activities such as the development of the mosaic have been part of the preschool’s program’s emphasis on understanding the link to the country as well as the connection to Mt Tarrengower and appreciating and exploring the immediate environment. Locally found plant pods and vegetation were used by the children in their tile designs.

Local mosaic artist, Ann Ferguson and ceramic artist, Andrea Ebsworth have contributed their time and talents, working with the Preschool’s children and educators to make tiles and designing and overseeing the creation of the mosaic.

This project has been especially significant in providing a focus for indigenous culture and links to local flora and a way of connecting to the wider community.

Maldon Preschool is still accepting enrolments for its three-year-old and four-year-old programs for 2022. The three-year-old program will be a funded program next year, offering children the opportunity of two years of funded early years’ education. Enrolments can be made online at ykinders.org.au. For any enquiries contact ballarat.earlyyears@ymca.org.au or phone the Preschool on 4311 1502.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 26 November 2021.