Former Nayland student Imogen Lunn has left a very brightly coloured mark on the school. 

Though the scholarship-achieving student of painting has now left for Wellington, her last act at Nayland was to finish painting a piano. She took on the project at the end of last year at the suggestion of art teacher Mike Friend.

Imogen’s initial inspiration for the artwork was the artist Henri Rousseau. However, as the project developed, Tibetan and Indian influences from her childhood started emerging. The young artist also wanted to pay tribute through the work to an influential friend and mentor, art teacher Manuella Mavromichalis, who taught Imogen that “everything is art.”

It is a philosophy which continues to inspire her. “Even if someone thinks that their art is ‘bad’ or ‘not good enough’, whether it be art, music, drama, dance or what have you, at least they are embracing their creativity and pushing themselves,” she said.

This ties in with how Imogen sees the place of the piano in the school. She’d like it to be there for anyone and everyone to enjoy. “I just want people to enjoy it, be creative and ,most importantly, to have fun with it.”

Imogen’s vision is not far off from materialising. Minutes after she finished putting on the final touches, a student sat down and blessed the piano with “an awesome rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.”

The piano will grace the student canteen area once its surface has been coated with a protectant.