The Arts

Celebrating Creativity: Arts & Design Exhibition Shines Bright

The halls of Oakleigh Grammar School were abuzz with creativity and excitement as we recently hosted our much-anticipated Arts & Design Exhibition. Themed "Techne - Bridging Art, Design, and Technology - A Year of Creative Discovery," the event was a testament to the incredible talent and hard work of our students and teachers.

From the very outset, the evening promised to be exceptional. Attendees were greeted with an atmosphere of inspiration and innovation, starting with light refreshments in the Centre for Academic Excellence. The opening ceremony kicked off the event, acknowledging the outstanding achievements of our students and setting the tone for an evening filled with artistic wonder

This year also introduced an innovative award nomination system, which garnered a fantastic response from both participants and attendees. The system highlighted the dedication and effort our students put into their artistic endeavours, emphasizing our students’ diverse talents. Within the new nomination system attendees had the opportunity to vote on the works they enjoyed. Altogether, It was heartwarming to witness the joy and pride among the nominees and their families.

Congratulations are extended to the following students for receiving an award for their work on the Arts & Design Exhibition night:

1. ‘VCE Arts and Design Award’ winners:

• Gregory Milonas VCD – Y12

• Anthony Arcuri Media – 11A

• Georgia CHRISTOFI Visual Art – 11B

2. ‘MYP Arts Award’ winner:

• Mikayla Haralambakis – Visual Art and Media Arts -10B

3. ‘MYP Design Award’ winners

• Archna Gupta - Product Design and VCD – 9B

4. ‘People’s choice Award’ Winner

• Zoe Karkanis – 11B

A Fantastic Year of Innovation

As we near the end of the school year, it's essential to reflect on the incredible journey of creativity and innovation we've witnessed within the realms of Arts, Design, and Technology. The Arts & Design Exhibition marked the pinnacle of a year filled with breathtaking artworks, thought-provoking designs, and groundbreaking technological advancements.

We are immensely proud of the passion and dedication displayed by our students throughout the year. Their boundless creativity and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression have truly set a benchmark for excellence at Oakleigh Grammar.

As we bid farewell to this academic year, we celebrate not only the successes of the Arts & Design Exhibition but also the countless moments of inspiration and achievement that have defined our school's creative landscape.

Let's continue to nurture and support the creative endeavors of our students, fostering an environment where innovation thrives, and imagination knows no bounds.

Stay tuned for more exciting events and achievements as we embark on a new year filled with possibilities!

Warm regards,

Nick Karakottas

Middle Years Learning Leader (Arts)

VCE Academic Leader (Arts)

Visual Communication and Design

The Year 12 Visual Communication and Design and the year 12 Art: Creative Practice students presented their finals for their school assessed task in a short video which was presented at our Arts and Design exhibition evening, ‘Techne’, on Thursday the 9th 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. The Year 6 to 10 Art and Design students also had their work displayed for the exhibition, ranging from ceramic sculptures to short films, pop-up shops, isometric milk carton drawings, water colour paintings and drawings, coral paper clay sculptures 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 Academic build of Excellence and throughout the art corridors and in the Junior School art room. Below are some photographs from the evening and with some students with their work:

The Year 7, 8 and 9 VCD students are currently designing their own school locker design as an isometric drawing where they have to demonstrate their personality and their passions and interests on their locker design. Students were to use many of the design elements and principles to create their drawing and draw at a 30-degree angle. Below are some of the student’s drawings:

On Monday 20 November, our Year 10-12 Head start program started for 2024, 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 year 11 and 12 Visual Communication Design, students were to design their own posters visually drawing each Gestalt principle of visual perception and identify them in different visual communications. In year 10 Art, we are learning new terminology, including the art elements and principles and created posters (please see photographs of student work below). In Year 10 Visual Communication Design, students created a collaborative poster of the design elements and principles and a photo scavenger hunt, where they have to collaborate in pairs and photograph these design elements and principles around the school.

The Year 7 and 8 Visual Communication Design class have been making Christmas cards, checking off the design elements and principles they have learnt this semester. Students have also been revising these terms in a post-test, Kahoot Quiz and visual communication design exemplars.

Product Design end of year report

What an amazing year it has been for our Product Design students! They delved into the intricacies of battery-operated circuits and honed their skills in crafting user-centric product designs.

The outcome was a display of creativity, innovation and experimentation. Our Product Design students refined their technical and creative abilities through an iterative process by designing a propeller-driven toy car. They could consider form, function and aesthetics. The car could support form over function or function follows form. They had a choice!

Our diverse student work was on display during the Techne Art and Design Exhibition highlighting their process and efforts.

Well done to all students in Product Design this semester.

Wishing all our students’ success in the coming year! Merry Christmas!

Inneke Smit

Product Design and Media Teacher

Media Year 10 and 11 end of year report

Our students in Year 10 Media explored the power of the documentary. Each student was empowered to develop their own story idea that raised awareness or highlighted a personal issue. Our students used technology creatively and effectively. All their wonderful effort was on full display using our Art and Design Exhibition.

Our students in Year 11 Media, VCE Unit 1 and 2, experimented and explored the craft of filmmaking to devise a short narrative film; choosing a genre of their selection. The students considered stylistic and artistic choices media producers make and considered their film from an audience perspective.

All their wonderful effort was on full display using our Art and Design Exhibition.

We congratulate year 11 Media and wish them all the best for unit 3 and 4. Next year!

Inneke Smit

Product Design and Media Teacher

Junior School Visual Arts

An incredibly productive year for all our young artists!

Our Junior School art room was a very busy space throughout the year. My students eagerly explored a variety of mediums and learned about different artists and art styles. They passionately experimented with a range of resources as they indulged in creative pursuits. They happily poured in their imagination and expression in the artworks produced, individually and collaborately. Furthermore, they reflected on their learning and strategies to advance their skills and concepts further.

We proudly celebrated our students’ creative efforts during the Techne Art and Design Exhibition.