Year 10 Visual Arts

Year 10 Visual Arts students have worked tirelessly this term, investigating the conventions and traditions of portraiture. They have experimented with graphite powder, various grades of lead pencils, acrylic paints, posca markers and fine liners to produce different types of portrait artworks. The highlight was undoubtedly the realistic pencil portraits created by each student of their muse. Four of which are proudly hanging in the front office.

Cecelia L - Morgan Freeman

Bai D - Adriana Lima

Zane V - Kylie Jenner

Chanel S - Jason Momoa

Faculty News

We have had numerous achievements in the Creative Arts and Modern Languages faculty this term. Our students’ successes across our diverse subjects have seen them participate in a range of learning opportunities over the last 11 weeks.

In Visual Arts and Photography, students have been busy producing and learning about artmaking practices.

Years 7 and 8 students have developed their understanding of the seven Elements of Art, creating a large-scale work depicting their graffiti font and use of charcoal, chalk pastel and watercolour. Some students have also added additional paste-up drawings to their brick works.

Years 9 and 10 students have continued to extend upon their artmaking capacity through the creation of artworks depicting animals within their natural environment and traditional large-scale portraiture depicting notable people, including Morgan Freeman, Jason Momoa, and Kylie Jenner among many others. Stage 5 Photography students have developed their ability to use manual settings and have had the opportunity to practice their learned skills out in the landscape with exploration of the local school community occurring alongside the Stage 5 Agricultural Studies classes.

Years 11 and 12 students are deep into their theoretical components of the course and have strongly developed their practical making capacity, with students creating a series of works depicting their own individual skillset and interests.

Year 11 student, Angelina attended the RSL NSW and Schools NSW Remember ANZAC Commemoration, Exhibition Launch and Workshop at the ANZAC Memorial in Sydney last Thursday. Angelina was invited to attend after her artwork entitled "For Those We Lost and Those Who Came Home” was accepted as a Finalist work in late 2023. She was awarded a commemorative medal and certificate for her submission and met the seven other finalists and two winners, all students from NSW Schools. Congratulations Angelina.

In Drama, Stage 5 and 6 students have learned aspects of the course through active participation in individual and collaborative opportunities, whilst developing and building upon their overall capacity as performing artists. Year 12 students are also continuing to develop their group performance, where they will perform an original piece as well as their own individually selected component of the course.

In Music, students have also been busy producing and learning about musical instruments and concepts.

Years 7 and 8 students have been introduced to key musical concepts and have established fundamental knowledge for this course. They have also expanded on their practical capabilities through researching, learning, and playing in the two following genres: Rock and Film music.

Years 9 and 10 students have continued to extend upon their practical capacity through the learning of individual and group performance pieces, representing diverse musical genres. These genres include Australian and Film music, Rock music and have seen students specialise in key artists throughout history.

Years 11 and 12 students are deep into their theoretical components of the course and have strongly developed their practical making capacity, with students learning and performing a range of pieces which will be submitted as their HSC performance pieces.

Music students across Years 7 to 12 have been working on their contribution to the 2024 DioSounds ‘Beyond Limits’ ensemble. This year they are working on an 80’s medley featuring epic rock songs from Guns n’ Roses, Michael Jackson, Journey and Canadian music king, Bryan Adams. We can't wait to hear their soaring guitar solos and beautiful vocal melodies in June at the Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Tickets are already on sale, so get in quick!

Various students across all stages have also been participating in our 2024 school musical, ‘Popstars!’, featuring hits from the 90’s. Students are involved with all aspects of the musical and have been attending practise opportunities regularly over the last few terms. Mmm Bop time to check out our new Popstars! the Musical shirts with our BACkstreets back trophy print! Get excited and ready to party like it's 1999 because You Oughta Know that tickets will be going on sale in Term 2! It'll be totally awesome for your Self Esteem to come and see the show and a big Smooth thank you to Bengalla Mining Company and Envy Cleaning Services for their generous donations! We Will Always Love You for your support and community Spirit! Please make sure you come and support our students when tickets go on sale shortly. Our limited number of shows will run during Term 2, Week 10.

In Languages, students continue to learn Japanese and have been studiously developing their basic knowledge and conversational skills.

In Years 7 and 8, students have learned key words, developing the ability to identify letters, numbers and answer questions using basic conversational techniques.

Years 9 and 10 students have extended upon this basic and foundational knowledge and skillset, with students learning about key features within the culture and participating in more hands-on activities.

Years 11 and 12 students further expand upon their prior knowledge in this course, with students practising together using diverse language conventions and strengthening their theoretical capacity.

Students have also had the opportunity to expand upon their knowledge of the course firsthand through attending the 2024 SJCC Japan Tour, which began on Tuesday. Students will visit Tokyo, Nagano, Kyoto, Miyajima, Hiroshima and Nara, before returning to Australia on 23 April.

From the Counsellor's Desk