Term two art classes where young artists explored the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef and the Green sea turtle
Art Box Workshops’ term two classes are dedicated to raising awareness of threatened species through art. Our youngest students (ages 6–8) embarked on a creative journey beneath the ocean’s surface to learn about one of Australia’s most beloved marine reptiles, the Green Sea Turtle.
Students were fascinated to discover that Green Sea Turtles are not actually green. Their name comes from the green colour of their body fat, which develops from their diet of seagrass and algae. As they learned more about the species, students also explored the important relationships among sea turtles, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and the wider marine ecosystem.
To help bring the reef environment to life, students examined a couple of natural sea sponges I found in clumps of seaweed following high tides on the south coast. These fascinating natural forms inspired a series of coral reef printmaking activities.
Using relief printmaking techniques, students carefully designed and printed their own Green Sea Turtles, focusing on the intricate patterns found on the turtles’ shells and flippers. They then experimented with colour, adding vibrant fluorescent details inspired by the rich colours of living coral reefs.
Each student contributed a turtle print and a coral print to both an individual artwork and a large collaborative artwork celebrating the beauty and importance of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.
Through this project, students learned about threats facing marine species, including habitat degradation, marine pollution and climate impacts on coral reefs. Their artwork serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting healthy oceans for future generations.
The completed collaborative artwork will be entered into the 2026 Wild at Art Competition, giving students an opportunity to share their message of hope and conservation with a wider audience.
“Painting a Brighter Future for Green Sea Turtles”
“Painting a Brighter Future for Green Sea Turtles”
We chose to create artwork about the Green Sea Turtle because we love the ocean and want to help protect marine animals.
We learned that Green Sea Turtles are not actually green. Their name comes from the green colour of their body fat, which is influenced by their diet. We also learned about the coral reefs, seagrass meadows and ocean habitats that help sea turtles survive.
To create our artwork, we studied the patterns on sea turtle shells and flippers and learned relief printmaking techniques to create our own turtle prints. We also used sea sponges as inspiration to make coral reef prints and added bright colours to show the beauty and diversity of life beneath the sea.
Our collaborative artwork combines all our turtle and coral prints into a single reef community. Each turtle represents an individual student, while together they create a larger story about protecting our oceans.
Art Box Workshops Students Letong. Z, Gabriel.M, Simon. N, Amelia. S, Jack. G, Eloise. K, Frankie.S.
Ages 6–8
Take a look at The Great Northern Hairy Noised Wombat collaborative artwork
