Pupils at St Peter’s CofE Junior School in Ruddington are enjoying a colourful new playground after international artist Bruce Asbestos completed a large-scale painted artwork featuring giant sunflowers, frogspawn and a friendly snail named Dash.
Designed to encourage imagination, play and storytelling, the artwork transforms the playground into a vibrant landscape where children can invent their own adventures during breaktimes.
Adding a personal touch, pupils were invited to name the two giant sunflowers, voting for Jerry and Gertrude. Dash, the cheerful snail, is an existing character from Bruce Asbestos’ work, having previously appeared at Tate Modern in 2025.
Bruce Asbestos said:
“The frogspawn represents community and new beginnings. Every frog starts as part of something bigger, which felt like a lovely idea for a school where children are learning, growing and developing together.”
Headteacher Michael Bradley said:
“Bruce has had artwork in the Tate Modern, the Venice Biennale and SXSW in the USA—we are delighted that we now have a piece here in Ruddington!”
The project comes at a significant moment for the St Peter’s community. Following the closure of the original school building because of structural issues, pupils and staff are now based in a temporary learning village while plans progress for a new school.
Bruce Asbestos is a Nottingham-based contemporary artist whose playful work combines bold colours, humour and large-scale installations. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, creating experiences that invite audiences of all ages to engage through curiosity, imagination and play.
The new playground has already become a much-loved feature of the school, giving pupils a colourful space to explore while Jerry, Gertrude and Dash watch over playtimes for years to come.
