Wave of Fish Wall at Altona North Early Childhood Centre

This ceramic mural acknowledges the traditional owners of the Land, the Yulukit Wilum People of the Boonwarrung Language Group. The mural is of a big wave that contains words and native fish made out of clay by the 3 year old and four year old children of the early childhood centre in 2012.

The ceramic mural was assembled by community artist Debbie Qadri. The words and spelling for the text were sought from the Boonwarrung Elder Aunty Carolyn, who generously helped us.

The text reads: We'd like to pay our respects to the Yulukit Wilum of the Boonwarrung language group, the Ancestors of the land on which we stand. We also pay our respects to our Ancestors and to our Elders past and present. Womin djeka mirum bikk bikk narm derp borphen uther wilum. Welcome to our beautiful home, land of the great bay. Thankyou to Aunty Caroline for giving us the correct words.

Here are some details of the native fish that the pre-school children made from clay.

more details of this project can be seen at: http://waveoffishwall.blogspot.com.au/

An Under the sea mosaic at Keilor Heights Primary School

This Under the Sea Mosaic Mural was made by Michelle Barry and Debbie Qadri at Keilor Heights Primary School. The ceramic features of the mosaic were made by the children, teachers and parents of the school.
The mosaic is seven metres wide and two and a half metres high.
All of the classes in the school participated in workshops to make the ceramic features for the mosaic of fish, mermaids and mermen, boats, shells, a treasure chest, corals and seaweed, swimmers and deepsea divers.
All of the ceramic features were made using white earthenware clay and liquid underglazes. They were fired in the school kiln.


This is a view of the mosaic from the opposite angle.


The features were glued onto the wall and the background filled in with a mosaic of broken tiles to suggest the sand, sea and a stormy sunset above.


Near the centre of the mosaic is a black rock that reaches up to become an island with a lighthouse.

Autumn 2010 Under the sea Mural at Keilor Heights Primary School

The Under The Sea Mosaic Mural was made by Debbie Qadri and Michelle Barry, featuring ceramic features made by the children, teachers and parents of Keilor Heights Primary School.
Autumn 2010
Above is a view of the top of the mosaic with a stormy sea crashing towards a lighthouse.


Some boats and a merman made by year 5/6 boys


A mermaid, boats and fish all made using earthenware clay and underglazes as decoration.


See the treasure chest in the bottom right corner made by Debbie and 2/3K students.
The many fish were made by grades 3/4 and the prep students with their buddies.
The shell and treasure were made by grade 1 and 2 students


Here you can see the many tubs of broken, coloured tiles that were used to make the mosaic.

grouting the wall of the 1000 fish

Her I am with my protective clothing, grouting the evil wall of the thousand fish. Can you count the fish?

fish by guest artists on the wall of the 1000 fish

This fish is by Coral Kaider, who made many fish, singing to us while she made them.


This fish was made by Helen. She used the slip trailing method with white and blue slips and the technique of feathering.


This fish is by Sharon Page. She was particular about the way she glazed it. You see she has made this effect by putting the glaze on and then wiping it off, so that it is only in the recesses. Sharon, I grouted over your fish today and it was difficult getting the grout out of the eye, but I knew that since there was a beautiful glaze inside, I had better dig it out and reveal your handiwork.


I think that Kathy made this fish. It is swimming in the thick of things as you can see. Above it you can see the signature beach houses of Lea Hess.


This is Helen's fish. Again pay attention to the details, because she always takes care to. If you are ever in my bathroom hallway, there is a lovely landscape of little houses with trees and birds hanging on the wall by Helen Littlejohn. Another example of detailed work.