As part of the 80th birthday celebrations of the Children’s Art Centre, we created a joyful, collaborative artwork that reflects not only our history, but our growth over time.
The project centred on the making of three sunflower sculptures — small, medium, and large. Each sunflower represents one of the three locations the Children’s Art Centre has called home over its 80-year journey, symbolising how the Centre has grown, adapted, and flourished while staying rooted in creativity and community.
The wire frameworks for the sunflowers were constructed by Children’s Art Centre teacher Hedwig Chandler, together with her father, Jan van der Merwe, a contemporary South African installation artist. Adding an extra layer of warmth to the process, Hedwig’s mother, Olga van der Merwe, also assisted in building the structures — turning the project into a true family affair.
The frameworks were carefully made over the June/July school holidays of 2025, laying the foundation for what would become a vibrant collective artwork. Soon after, two learners from each of our feeder schools came together for a special making day. Working collaboratively, they filled the wire mesh with yellow and green plastic, gradually transforming the structures into bold, textured sunflowers.
The atmosphere was energetic and joyful as learners shared materials, ideas, and conversations while contributing to something larger than themselves. Through this process, they experienced first-hand how many small efforts can come together to create a powerful whole.
By the end of the day, the three sunflowers stood complete — each one a marker of a chapter in the Children’s Art Centre’s story, and together a celebration of 80 years of growth, creativity, and learning through art.
