Art Learning Area Snapshot

2025 Young Originals - Congratulations

Fleur Cason, GATE Visual Arts Coordinator

St George's Art Award 2025

19 – 27 July St George's Cathedral Perth 

This year, we were fortunate to have 3 artworks exhibited at the Annual St George's Art Award in Perth. The artworks were displayed in the Cathedral together with a number of other secondary schools in Western Australia. The awards are known to attract the highest calibre of work from our high schools, with emphasis on creativity and student voice. The result was a wonderful display of artwork showing a depth of innovation and technique. 

Jin-e Kim submitted her pencil illustration on Paper bags titled “Preserved Moments”. Leila Montgomery presented her oil painting titled “Up” and Maddie Davies included her acrylic painting of a “Classroom Still Life”. 

All works were very well received and showed the depth of skill and technique of our students here at Applecross Senior High School. Congratulations on being selected to take part. 

Olivia Smith, Art Teacher

𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞: 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 10 𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐭

Year 10 Gifted & Talented Visual Arts students had a wonderful opportunity on August 1 to visit Murdoch University and experience a day in the life of university culture, whilst participating in engaging and challenging creative workshops developed by staff at the university in collaboration with the Arts staff at Applecross. Students attended workshops with leading industry experts, a guided tour of the campus, $15 voucher towards lunch and opportunities to challenge and explore issues that matter to them. 

Thank you, Chloe, Sam, Mark, Beige and Elizabeth from Murdoch University.

Steve Armitstead, HoLA Arts

𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 8 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 & 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

To kick off the Semester 2 curriculum in Year 8 GATE Visual Arts, students and their teachers experience a two-day art and culture immersion, designed to encourage curiosity, creativity and art activities beyond the classroom.

Day 1 focused on visits to Perth Cultural Precinct and local areas of cultural and historical significance at the Piney Lakes Reserve, Melville. Students stopped off at Elizabeth Quay and saw first-hand contemporary sculpture by WA Noongar Artist Laurel Nannup, ‘First Contact’. At the Art Gallery of WA, students viewed the works at Pulse Exhibition and loved seeing Applecross students’ work on display. They had the chance to sketch Cast Bronze sculptures, including those by Rodin and Hepworth. Students put their creative skills to the test with the  Replay workshops devised by contemporary artist Minaxi May.

Day 2 was a more relaxing pace, and students enjoyed a wander along the Bidi Katitjiny Aboriginal Trail, learning about the traditional six seasons and the culturally rich history of Piney Lakes. Students enjoyed drawing workshops, inspired by nature and the environment, referenced found objects and experimented with cyanotype printing in the sunshine, led by artist Robyn Jean.

We enjoyed moments of creativity, quiet contemplation and pure joy in experiencing art and culture beyond the classroom.

Olivia Smith & Jo Sweetman

Year 8 GATE Visual Arts Teachers