News from the Art Rooms

What a fabulous Term 3 we have had in the Art Rooms! The students have brought their creativity and energy into their art making and it's been a firecracker term. Here’s what the Junior and Senior Schools have been up to!

Senior School Art Room 

In Grade 2 students are discovering the colourful world of abstract art by exploring the work of pioneering artist Wassily Kandinsky. After observing how Kandinsky used shapes, lines, and colours to express ideas and emotions rather than represent real-life objects, students create their own vibrant abstract paintings. Students experiment with a variety of geometric and organic shapes, bold lines, and contrasting colours to design dynamic compositions. They carefully arrange these visual elements to create balance, movement, and rhythm across the page, learning how artists can communicate through colour and design without depicting recognisable subjects. 

Grade 3 students are exploring the rich traditions of mask-making by learning about masks from Aboriginal Australian communities, Torres Strait Islander cultures, and the vibrant costume masks of Burkina Faso. Through guided discussions, students discover how masks can be used to express identity, celebrate cultural traditions, tell stories, and play important roles in ceremonies and performances. Inspired by the shapes, patterns, textures, and symbolism found in these cultural art forms, students design and create their own imaginative masks using a variety of art materials. They carefully consider colour, line, symmetry, and decorative elements to produce a unique mask that reflects their own creative ideas while appreciating the artistic traditions they have studied. The students are excited to make masks in time for Halloween! 

The Grade 4 students are exploring the art of printmaking by creating striking animal silhouette stencil artworks. After researching a variety of animals, students carefully design and cut their own stencils, focusing on creating bold, recognisable shapes that capture the unique form of their chosen animal. The students then explore the use of repetition to create a dynamic printed art work. 

Grade 5 are exploring portraiture through the distinctive style of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. After studying Modigliani's famous portraits, students create artworks of their classmates or an imaginary person, incorporating his signature features such as elongated faces and necks, simplified facial features, almond-shaped eyes, and elegant compositions. 

In Grade 6 students are exploring the exciting world of contemporary sculpture by creating realistic and imaginative fake food and everyday objects using clay, wire, paint, and mixed media. Inspired by Australian artist Kenny Pittock, whose playful ceramic sculptures transform familiar foods into humorous artworks, and pop artist Claes Oldenburg, famous for his oversized sculptures of ordinary objects, students are investigating how artists can change the way we see everyday items. 

Junior School Art Room

Whilst Mavra is having a well deserved travelling adventure we are lucky to have the wonderful Miss Jenny to take the Prep and Grade 1 art classes in the Junior School. Already Miss Jenny is impressed with the students and how creative they are in their art space! 

Let’s see what they have been up to this term …

We have had a wonderful Term 3 in Art at the Junior School. Students have once again settled confidently into our adapted art spaces and have continued to demonstrate enthusiasm, resilience, and creativity in every lesson. It has been fantastic to see how positively they have embraced new routines while exploring a range of artistic techniques and materials. 

Prep students have been inspired by the imaginative skyscapes of Joan Miró, experimenting with colour, shape, and line to create expressive artworks. The students have learnt about primary and secondary colours and experimented with mixing to make new colours and applied their learning by creating a dream-like imaginative skyscape. In addition to this, the preps have designed their own monochrome portraits in preparation for the Art Show. 

In Grade One students have explored portraiture through a monochromatic colour scheme, using shades and tones of green with their chosen medium to develop their understanding of colour and self-expression. They identify and use different tones of green to show features and express ideas, while demonstrating growing confidence in using their selected materials and techniques. 

It has been a pleasure to watch all of the students develop their artistic skills this term. Their enthusiasm, imagination, and dedication have resulted in some truly outstanding artwork, and they should be very proud of their achievements.

Happy creating,

Edwina, Mavra and Miss Jenny.