Year 6 Students Collaborate with Artist Will Cheesman to Design a School Sensory Walk

During Visual Arts lessons recently, Year 6 students have had the exciting opportunity to work with South Australian artist Will Cheesman from Wills Projects. As part of the My Voice component of the DARE Graduate Diploma, students took part in a series of workshops focused on public art and their power to express meaningful ideas.

Will Cheesman’s work through Wills Projects often explores how art can connect people to place, even if it only exists for a short time. Students looked closely at examples of his public installations and discussed how the temporary nature of these works can enhance their emotional impact and sense of presence.

Inspired by these ideas, students began designing a sensory walk for the school—an artwork that encourages movement, mindfulness, and sensory engagement. Sensory walks are especially valuable in schools, helping students with regulation, focus, and emotional wellbeing. They provide a calming, structured space that supports both physical and mental development.

In small groups, students considered the different elements a sensory walk might include, based on the needs of the students who will use it. They explored design ideas such as repetition, colour, shapes, and symbols, and discussed how universal imagery can be used to communicate ideas in accessible ways.

Each group then drew their designs in various outdoor areas around the school, creating temporary artworks for the community to enjoy. These ephemeral pieces will be combined into one final plan, which will be used to paint a permanent sensory walk in the school yard.

 This project has allowed students to explore meaningful art making, think deeply about the needs of others, and make a lasting contribution to the school environment through creative, student-led design.

Article shared by Jess Vann, Visual Art Teacher.