Students’ ‘learning journey’ sculpture an enduring gift

The Year 6 graduating class presented a 3m-high sculpture to South Padbury Primary School, created by sculptor Kim Perrier, who won last year’s people’s choice award at Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi.

Year 6 teacher Les Smith said students discussed their ideas for the piece and the draft design was drawn by student Zachary Ross, with Perrier expanding on the concept of a spiral depicting the learning journey.

“Kim’s interpretive design was based on a number of stainless steel spirals emanating from a base and spreading into a circular shape at the top of the structure,” he said.

“To represent the kids’ journey, he envisaged a cluster of fibreglass hands attached along each spiral length.”

Perrier made the 28 hands from plaster casts of the students’ hands at his Bridgetown studio and Ray Parolo from engineering firm MH & EV Smith 1983 handled the fabrication of the sculpture.

Mr Smith said one of the students’ families made a generous financial contribution to the project, with material, fabrication and transport costs donated by those involved.

“It is great recognition indeed of the unique qualities of this graduating class from so many people from so many diverse sectors of society,” he said.