The Arts and Design

This year, the Arts and Design MYP at Oakleigh Grammar has been a true celebration of creativity and innovation. We celebrated the spectacular Junior School Musical, The Wind in the Willows, a dazzling showcase of our Junior School students' talent. We also hosted our largest-ever Instrumental Soiree, featuring a vibrant array of musical performances from our young musicians.

In the classroom, lessons were filled with energy and excitement as students pushed artistic boundaries, experimenting with new ideas and perspectives. Students embraced the guitar program, and produced meaningful artwork and innovative designs, while drama students also engaged in highly captivating performances.

A highlight of the year was the purposeful Arts and Design Exhibition, Techne 2024 – Repurpose, which challenged both students and audience members to rethink art through the lens of repurposing and innovation. This exhibition was a testament to the power of imagination and creative transformation. The House Arts Competition, Through the Glass Wall, also inspired a diverse and thoughtful array of student responses.

Throughout the year, our students fully embraced the roles of risk-takers, performers, and creators, making 2024 an unforgettable year for Arts and Design at Oakleigh Grammar.

Rebecca Bettiol

MYP Learning Leader (Art & Design)

Art and Visual Communication Design

The year 12 Visual Communication Design and the year 11 Visual Communication Design students presented their final outcomes which were presented at our Arts and Design exhibition evening, ‘Techne’, on Thursday the 7th of November, along with their finals, didactic overview of their work and their folios of the process they have shown to create their final artwork or design/s. Dante Keddie (Year 12 VCD) had is school assessed task on display with his folio and 3D model of his street wear clothing store, along with the branding of the store. The Year 11 VCD students had their isometric coaster designs, their design problems with possible solutions, their spa model along with their floor plans and side elevations, their iconographies and wireframes of their own mobile phone app. The year 10 VCD students displayed their 3D models of their own eco-friendly house design, made from recyclable materials and their planometric drawings of their design with their logo design of the architecture company. The year 10 Art students exhibited their outcomes of drawing, painting and sculpting through their own concepts through inspiration of an artists’ technique and process.

The Year 6 to 10 Art and Design students also had their work displayed for the exhibition in the library, ranging from sculptures made from recyclable materials to short films, lights made from recyclable materials, isometric drawings of fragrance bottles and chairs, two-point perspective of a cityscape and model cars. Many students and their parents came on the evening to see not only their own, but their peers work displayed in our library and senior school gallery space. In the library the Junior School Art and ELC students work was also on display showcasing aspects of ‘recyclable materials’ used in the exhibition. Below are some photographs from the evening:

On Monday 18 November, our Year 10-12 Head start program started for 2025, where students are transitioning into their new classes for next year. In VCE, we have covered the new study design in Visual Communication Design and new terminology and outcomes for next year. In years 10, 11 and 12 Visual Communication Design, students were to learn different types of technical drawing and how to analyse a design. Please see below some amazing work students have completed in their first week of their Head start program:

Emily Sacco

Art Teacher

Year 6A Product Design

Year 6A's Journey into Sustainability at the Art and Design Show

We are thrilled to share the inspiring journey of our Year 6A students as they exhibited their creativity and environmental awareness at the Art and Design Show. Students were tasked with designing, preparing, and serving sustainable food. This project emphasised the importance of sustainability in every aspect, from packaging to ingredient sourcing.

Sustainability in Food Preparation and Event Management:

Students developed an understanding of sustainability, learning how to make environmentally conscious choices in food preparation and event management.

Students presented three sustainable canapé ideas, justifying the sustainability of each canapé. This included discussing the sourcing of ingredients, the sustainability of the ingredients themselves, and strategies for waste reduction.

Highlights of the Project:

Ingredient Sourcing: The students focused on sourcing local and seasonal ingredients, understanding the benefits of reducing food miles and supporting local producers. They were encouraged to choose ingredients with minimal environmental impact, promoting biodiversity and reducing carbon footprints.
Sustainable Canapés: Each student presented three innovative canapé ideas, demonstrating their creativity and understanding of sustainability. They provided detailed justifications for their choices, highlighting how each canapé incorporated sustainable practices from farm to table.
Waste Reduction: The students implemented waste reduction strategies, such as composting food scraps and using leftovers creatively. They learned the importance of minimising waste in food production and developed practical skills to manage waste effectively.
Packaging: Students explored eco-friendly packaging options, ensuring that all materials used were biodegradable or recyclable. They learned the impact of packaging on the environment and made conscious choices to minimise waste.

This task not only equipped our students with valuable knowledge about sustainability but also inspired them to make a positive impact on the environment through their everyday choices. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and the innovative design ideas they brought to the table.

Menu details below:

Brie Cheese and Pineapple canapes
Loaded Potatoes
Roast beef crostini
Greek sala canapes
Mini Dark Chocolate Mouse tarts
Mini Mango Pavlova

Thank you to all the students, who supported this project. Your contributions were invaluable in making this initiative a success.

Well done to all Year 6,7, 8 and 9 students of Product Design this year. Amazing innovation and design thinking on display. Particularly at the Art and Design Show.

Special thank you to our maintance staff, James and Joel for being wonderful support – serving our students and staff.

Have a happy and safe holiday

Inneke Smit

Product Design Teacher

Junior School Art

Beyond the Canvas: Exploring the Boundaries of Artistic Expression in T-Shirt Design

After a successful Art Exhibition, Junior School students are exploring a new medium for their artistic expression. There is immense excitement and energy. As part of our ongoing efforts to foster creativity and self-expression, our students from Year Prep to 5 have been engaged in a vibrant t-shirt design project using fabric markers. This initiative has allowed our students to explore their artistic talents and provided a platform to develop their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and critical thinking abilities.

Over the past few weeks, our students have significantly progressed in designing their t-shirts. From conceptualizing ideas in their 'dummy' to bringing their designs to life, the students have demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and dedication. The completed t-shirts will be used in our upcoming End of Year School Celebration, providing an excellent opportunity for our students to share their artistic talents with the school community. We invite all parents and staff to attend and celebrate our students' creativity and hard work.

I want to thank my colleagues and classroom assistants for tireless efforts in guiding and supporting our students throughout this project.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this project, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your continued support.

Happy Holidays!

Vibha Tripathi

Junior School Art Teacher