Introducing the Arts Team for 2024

The Arts faculty encompasses Visual Arts and Performing Arts subjects at St Joes that aim to give our students experiences and curriculum in the fields of Drama, Dance, Media Arts, Music, Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design.

The Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority describes the Arts in following way:

‘Students are both artist and audience in the Arts. They make and respond and learn to appreciate the specific ways this occurs in different disciplines’                         

‘The Arts present ideas that are dynamic and rich in tradition’

‘Through engaging in The Arts students are entertained, challenged and provoked to respond to questions and assumptions about individual and community identity, taking into account different histories and cultures’

‘The Arts contributes to the development of confident and creative individuals and enriches Australian society. Students express, represent and communicate ideas in contemporary, traditional and emerging arts forms’

It’s a very exciting and relevant domain to lead.  St Joseph’s has worked hard to employ  teachers and support staff who are passionate, experienced and technically in tune to the Arts curriculum and learning at St Joes, and also who are committed to providing rich and relevant experiences for students.

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce some of the Arts Team to our community. 

Rosalind Paterson

• A passionate Art Educator and practicing artist who will be exhibiting in WA later this year in the Festival of Perth and has works from the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery at the University of WA.
• Rosalind is teaching Year 7 and 8 Visual Arts at Kildare Campus and the kids love her already! 

Tilly Keenan:

• A practicing artist who is exhibiting this March at the Foundry Art Space.  Tilly specialises in portraiture. She is currently teaching Year 10 Art and is also a Maths teacher.
• Please see the invitation to Tilly’s upcoming exhibition https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UIR_jJGSeJEH2J8-eTE1oMRqzRTbCzud/view?usp=sharing

Glenn Roberts

• Is an Art Advocate for students at St Joesph’s. 
• Glenn has taught Year 7 through to 12 in the Visual Arts subjects, and has taught a few of our Art teachers (a thing or two!)
• Most recently Glenn has studied Art Therapy and Counseling
• Glenn is teaching Year 9 Design and Religious Art in 2024.

Ben Wallis

• Teaches Year 11 & 12 VCE Art Making & Exhibiting and Religious Art.  
• Each year Ben facilitates the St Joseph’s student entries into the MacKillop Art Exhibition. 
• Ben is inventive and innovative and has achieved the Holy Grail of VCE Art teaching, with one of his Art Making Year 12 students from the class of 2023 being accepted into Top Arts this year.  This is an enormous achievement for student and teacher and culminates in the student’s artwork being exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria.
• Congratulations to student Paul Halton and teacher Ben Wallis on this incredible achievement.  Watch this space for upcoming details: https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/  And don’t worry, we’ll be bragging and promoting.

Clare Orton: 

• Comes with the experience of a Bachelor of Communications - Digital Television Production and a Grad Dip In Education.  
• Clare has joined the Arts team this year and is teaching Year 10 Media, in addition to AEL Literacy, Year 11/12 VM Literacy and is a Brigid LM.

Rebecca Hof:

• Bec has been inspiring, teaching and coaching Drama students at St Joesph’s over the past few years. 
• Bec has a Bachelor of Communications (Theatre/Media) and Bachelor of Teaching (English/Drama) 
• Last year during St Joes On Show, Bec organised the inaugural photography competition and uncovered some incredible talent in our school community.
• This year Bec is joining Matt and Clare in the Media team.

Matthew Scott 

Matthew is a familiar face at St Joseph’s and is renowned for his dedication to providing meaningful experiences for the Media students. This has included facilitating a slot on EM FM Community radio for students, organising excursions and experiences that immerse students into the world of media and presentation of student work.  Matt studied a Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communications/Journalism) with Honours and is a VCE Media Exam Assessor

For 18 years, Matt has been reading news on Vision Australia Radio 88.7FM in Bendigo as a volunteer.

Matt works with Victoria University pre-service Media teachers facilitating workshops to learn about educating in the Arts. In 2024 Matt is teaching an exciting new study design to students studying Media 3 & 4. 

Matt Cohn 

Matt has stepped into teaching Year 10 - 12 Vet Music Performance and Music Certificate  2.  He is also a librarian at St Joseph’s College and a violinist.  

Here’s a clip of Matt playing as part of his church band:

https://www.youtube.com/live/2EmwP72tYPI?si=FC9RkdWIjd5m2QVZ&t=744

‘I’m a violinist and music teacher with an extra string to my bow – Library!’

Julie-Ann Watson 

Julie-Ann teaches Performing Arts at Kildare Campus. She has extensive experience in leading choirs, bands, classroom music and instrumental ensembles.  Julie-Ann has performed in the Darwin Symphony Orchestra and has a wealth of experience and knowledge from over 20 years of music teaching.

Cassie Leopold

Cassie is working with Matt Cohn in the music department and also in the Education Support team. She is a recording artist with her Golden Guitar Award winning band, Darlinghurst. Cassie is ready to inspire, coach and help all students in the school who are interested in music, recording and the industry as a whole. 

Darlinghurst’s Youtube Chanel features many of Cassie’s most recent releases and experiences and awesome new song: Unapologetic: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPE-CfSs7OSIYbwytOVT2bQ

Brook Ward

We welcome Brook to the Performing Arts team at Kildare Campus.

Brook has a background in dance and a Bachelor of Education. In the past Brook has danced full-time while in Melbourne before teaching at an International Baccalaureate school in China where she lived for 6 years with her family.

Brook’s energy, organisation and enthusiasm for dance and opportunities for our students is contagious!

Les Butler and Beth Leach

The Performing Arts team at Kildare is further enhanced by the presence of Les Butler and Beth Leach. 

Les contributes a vibrant enthusiasm and a wealth of experience in school performances, while Beth shares her deep passion for music, theatre, and crafts. Together, Les and Beth play a pivotal role in nurturing our students' talents, providing both in-class support and encouragement that inspires them to perform and bolster their confidence.

Alisha Ryan

We are also very excited to welcome Alisha Ryan to St Joseph’s, based at Kildare Campus. Alisha has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Theatre Performance and is also a practicing visual artist.

Alisha is working in Education Support and her artwork is known to many of us as she was commissioned to create portraits of the St Joseph’s Patrons, Bishop Daniel Delany, Saint Brgid and Nano Nagle in collaboration with Yorta Yorta artist, Troy Firebrace, in 2020.

Alisha narrated meditations featuring the artworks in 2021. She has a gift for storytelling and the meditations, featured on the St Joseph’s Youtube channel, are a beautiful example of her creative storytelling talents coming together.

Allison O'Brien

Finally I’d like to introduce myself.

I’m an educator and advocate for the Arts and the capacity of young people.

I teach Visual Communication and Design in Year 10,11 and 12 and love design thinking for intentional decision making in design, art, business, education and life!  I also chair the Bridge Art Project Steering Committee, which is a local not-for-profit organisation which is building a brand new art gallery in Meninya Street, Moama.

I have a background in Fine Arts, photography, business and events. It’s a privilege to lead the Arts Faculty at St Joseph’s. This year I debut as the Performing Arts Leader and can’t wait to support our musicians, and performers with a whole range of opportunities.  

The Arts at St Joesph’s are well supported by the College Leadership team. We have state of the art resources and the calendar of events for our students to present and perform is expanding.

As a team, we are so excited about our classes and the opportunities to engage our students here at St Joseph’s in Art experiences, whether that is as an artist or performer, or audience member and viewer.

If you have any ideas, suggestions or questions about Art and opportunities at St Joseph’s, please don’t hesitate to contact me: aobrien@sje.vic.edu.au

Allison O’Brien

Arts Learning Leader

Performing Arts Leader