Weaving Values into Art: A Prizegiving Sculpture for Te Koromiko Swannanoa School
Te Koromiko Swannanoa School asked me to create a prizegiving sculpture that brought together their five core values. They already had individual trophies for each value, but this piece was something different — the most outstanding student award, the one that carries all five together.
The five values
- Community (Pikorua) — Connection and relationship
- Success (Porowhita) — Learning and teaching as a shared partnership
- Kindness (Koru) — Finding and bringing out the best in others
- Respect (Roimata) — Honouring relationships with empathy
- Integrity (Toki) — The courage to live by what you believe
The design
The kete — a traditional woven basket — felt like the right starting point. It's a symbol of gathering, of things held together. Each of the five value forms rises from it, carved in fine-grade Oamaru stone with a paua shell inlay catching the light where the forms meet.
Getting the woven texture right on stone took time. Basketwork has a rhythm to it, and the stone has to earn that. Fine-grade Oamaru gave me the crispness I needed to make it read properly.
The result
When all five values sit together in one piece, held in a kete, it says something that a single trophy can't. The student who receives this has demonstrated everything the school stands for — not just one strand, but the whole weave.
That's worth making carefully.
Reflection
As an artist, projects like these push me to think beyond aesthetics. It’s not just about creating something beautiful but also about crafting something that resonates deeply with its audience, carrying meaning and purpose. This sculpture was a true labour of love, blending creativity with the responsibility of representing values that matter. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Te Koromiko Swannanoa School’s legacy in such a meaningful way.