Visual Arts Focus
“Finding” Sidney!
It always amazes me the way our school community embraces our celebrated artist. It is almost like we adopt them into our lives for the year, finding out about them as well as finding their works in places we didn’t expect. This year is no exception!
Let me share a few of those ‘findings’…
Exhibition catalogue
Exhibition catalogue
Harvey and Mathilda (both in Year 6) and their families went on a camping holiday up into north-western Victoria. Heading into the town of Dimboola, they came across an Art Gallery and, as interested art students, they decided to look inside. What did they see but a room dedicated to Sidney Nolan!
Nolan had been stationed there during his military service to guard the army’s food supplies. Mathilda and Harvey discovered his army uniform, his bicycle and other relics. They discussed their fascination with Nolan with the gallery curator, and she was delighted to know we were studying this iconic Australian artist. She wanted to have some of our work displayed in their gallery! Wow!
A beautiful book from the gallery shop was presented to me by Mathilda and Harvey – a catalogue from a Sidney Nolan Exhibition at Heide.
Just as I opened it, a docket fluttered out… the receipt of entry, dated 17/05/1997! Wow!
Winona from Year 5 and her mum Nathalie took a road trip to Canberra in the holidays to specifically see the Sidney Nolan permanent collection at the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery.
They found something particularly interesting! The painting ‘Kelly and Horse 1946’ had two dates on it! Sidney Nolan painted it in one particular way and then he painted over it with a much larger Kelly head in the foreground. You can see remnants of the earlier painting/layer underneath it. The two layers are quite obvious. Wow!
Grandpa's print
Grandpa's print
Hazel from Year 3 made the discovery that her grandpa has a Sidney Nolan print hanging in his home! Wow!
Do you have a “finding” Sidney story to share?
Why not let us know so we can have some more WOW moments! Just email the school to let us know!
~ Marjie Tkatchenko, Visual Arts Teacher