Fairfield High School student Gillian P is working on a canvas, which will eventually belong to Matthew Quinn, CEO of Stockland property group. His mate, Michael Hawker, chief of the Insurance Australia Group, has commissioned Gillian to do a landscape painting of his home. Both come with a $4,000 price tag.

“I was surprised and shocked that I had the opportunity do something like this,” Gillian says. “I didn’t expect myself to paint like this.”

Under the watchful eye of the school’s artist in residence, Ian Hale, students like Gillian have been commissioned over the past year to produce almost $40,000 worth of paintings and etchings for members of the Australian Business and Community Network such as Mr Quinn and Mr Hawker. Others include David Kirk, CEO of Fairfax Publications and Ralph Norris, Commonwealth Bank’s CEO.

Earlier this year a work produced by Year 11 students Ratha A, Helen K and Grace S was sold for $10,000. The funds from the art sales support the high school’s gifted and talented program and the art extension program which runs every fortnight for Fairfield High students and primary students from nearby schools.

The commissions also purchased equipment for the art studio including a computer, refrigerator and microwave. They will also cover the cost of flights for Ratha, Helen and Grace, who will accompany Mr Hale and his wife, Kristine, to Europe later this year. The trip was arranged as part of Mr Hale’s Caltex and Rotary Club of Sydney Award for Innovation in Teaching, which he received in 2007 for the south western Sydney region Gifted and Talented Primary School Program.