Creating stunning wall art is a blend of creativity, passion, and attention to detail. Keifer, winner of the ‘Design Your World’ competition, let his imagination run wild and wasn’t afraid to experiment to achieve a masterwork that truly speaks to the staff and students at Summit International School, Abu Dhabi.
“This win is a validation of our Mission and Vision as well as our commitment to the arts as integral to a well-rounded education,” said school principal, Lee Debagia. “Since he was in kindergarten, Keifer has always performed at a high level in creative tasks, and his award winning work shows what he likes, what he’s thinking, and what he’s exposed to through school. Not only does it show him as successful, but it instructs us as educators to think about the student’s perspective. When teachers see how creative he can be, they can alter their assessments to give him the opportunity to show what he’s thinking.”
“For me, it represents different aspects of knowledge, such as sports, mathematics, and other important subjects”
“Half of my design came from another work. and half was from my own imagination,” Keifer explains. “For me, it represents different aspects of knowledge, such as sports, mathematics, and other important subjects.”
The thrill of winning a competition can be an exhilarating and unforgettable experience. It’s a feeling of accomplishment, validation, and usually a measure of disbelief too. “I felt a little surprised!” Keifer says. “I didn’t realise what had happened at first, but when I found out that I had won, I was very happy.”
Starting a new artwork is an exciting and creative process for an artist. It’s a moment when they embark on a journey of self-expression and exploration, and at the present time, Keifer is working on several new ideas. “One of them is about my predictions for the far future, while another is about the different languages that people speak,” he says.
“Keifer has always performed at a high level in creative tasks”
Summit International School prioritises visual and performing arts in the curriculum from kindergarten through grade 12, with Lee commenting: “We try to meet all of our ‘climbers’ where they are on their learning climb to the top.
When we get to know them, we learn their strengths and use those strengths to help them climb higher. For example, we use Performance Based Assessments so students can choose their method of assessment and demonstrate what they know. Kiefer is the perfect example of this. It is a beautiful mural and everyone loves it.”