That’s because he has finally finished the school’s mural, after months of effort.
The artist worked alongside the school pupils for inspiration for the flora and fauna-dominated mural.
‘‘For me, this mural was a big step up,’’ he said.
‘‘I had never done anything like this before.’’
He suspected the environmental focus would influence his upcoming artwork.
‘‘I usually don’t focus on flora and fauna - it’s normally about local landscapes - so this mural has a point of difference.’’
His son, Gethin, also attended the school.
‘‘He’s been wondering why I’ve spent so much time at school of late. But he’s also been really interested in my work.’’
Work began on the mural in November, and the school unveiled it at a special assembly yesterday.
Principal Stuart Cooke said the mural was a way to mark more than a year of the pupils working alongside organisations such as the East Otago catchment group and Enviroschools.
‘‘It really is the students’ time to shine, and immerse themselves in the environment.
‘‘That can be done in many ways, from testing the local streams to having access to a farm to learning about our fantastic landscapes.
‘‘Knowing where you belong and what the environment is like, to me, can be almost as important as your regular school work.’’
