When David Hill (Hamilton | Williams 1964-1968) loaned five artworks from his personal Hawkline Collection in 2021, the walls of the newly built Lander Centre seemed to hum with possibility. “Great schools have great art collections,” David says. “That’s what I wanted for St Paul’s Collegiate School.”

David’s love of art began long before he became an art collector. Inspired by his mother’s creativity and the treasures in her antique store, he walked through the gates of St Paul’s in the 1960s, with a curiosity already alive. “Although art wasn’t offered during my time at St Paul’s, I was a Hornsby boy. Headmaster Reg Hornsby (1963-1969) had a profound influence on me through his passion for Classics. It stimulated an interest in me that already existed,” he recalls. “At 19, I was a curator with the NZ Historic Places Trust,” David said. 

For years, St Paul’s had artworks scattered across campus, gifted or commissioned over time, but there was no way to bring them together, catalogue them, or acknowledge the artists. David’s gift provided both the spark and the structure to make that change. From five pieces, the St Paul’s Art Collection has grown to more than 50 works, many created by Collegians, including Gary Schofield (Hall | Hamilton 1970-1974), Rodney Fumpston (Williams 1960-1964), Sam Mathers (Hall 1998-2002) and Owen Dippie (Clark 1997-2001). Each artwork is now photographed, catalogued, and displayed, with plaques that tell the artists’ stories.

“I hope the artworks create a bit of curiosity,” David says. “That students will wonder who created them, how they were made, and why. And in doing so, discover in themselves an interest in art history, the creative arts, arts administration perhaps, or even museology.” The collection greets students daily, becoming more than decoration; it is a living part of the learning environment, encouraging creativity, reflection, and imagination.

David’s example inspired others. In 2024, Robert Cox (School/Sargood 1959-1963) gifted Max Gimblett’s A Path of Color, and Susan Waddell, grandmother of Matthew (Sargood 2017-2021) and James (Sargood 2019-2023), contributed Jeff Thomson’s corrugated iron work, Bushman’s Bunch. The collection is no longer one person’s vision; it is a shared expression of the St Paul’s community.

Today, the collection continues to grow not just through new donations but also by reconnecting with Collegian artists whose works now hang on St Paul’s walls. One such artist is acclaimed printmaker Rodney Fumpston (Williams 1960–1964), whose story of creativity and craft unfolds in the next article.