AN artist is bringing wellbeing to life on the walls of a Newquay primary school.

Marianne Bradshaw from Newquay is creating a large-scale mural at St Columb Minor Academy centred on two illustrated characters, Bear and Penguin, as part of a project to nurture children’s emotional wellbeing through the power of art.

The ICF-accredited coach and illustrator will be in residence at the school throughout Aspirations Week, painting the mural live while pupils go about their school day.

The artwork draws on the school’s own motto, Learning to ride the wave of life, depicting Bear and Penguin side by side, gazing out to sea.

Marianne said: “Rather than overwhelming children with messaging, I wanted to create something open and emotionally safe, something that simply invites them to wonder and talk together.

“The mural is intentionally simple. Rather than directing children towards a particular message, I hope the imagery will open up conversation naturally in classrooms, corridors, and at home.

“Children might ask each other: “What do you think Bear and Penguin are looking at?” or “How does it make you feel?”

Pupils will be able to watch the artwork evolve across the week, with the school planning to capture the process through time lapse footage.

Marianne hopes the gradual reveal will build a sense of shared ownership among children, encouraging the mural to become a talking point.

The project is part of Marianne’s wider vision to use creativity as a tool for community wellbeing bringing Bear and Penguin into schools, public spaces, and homes as gentle, accessible prompts for emotional reflection.

Marianne said: “At a time when conversations around children’s wellbeing feel so important. I believe art has a real role to play, not by spelling things out, but by creating space for feelings to surface in a safe and gentle way.”