Visual Arts:
Camp and Excursions
Year 10 and 11 Art Camp at Bundanon
I never know what to expect on camping trips, but I thoroughly enjoyed Year 10/11 Art Camp, for a variety of reasons. When we arrived at Bundanon, the home and studio of Arthur Boyd, we were given a tour of the property, and learnt all about the history and past events that took place there. Art has been made at Bundanon for many decades, from a variety of different artists, so it was an honour to be able to contribute to the range of unique and exquisite artworks created on the property. The first art making workshop we did, we were asked to create a large charcoal drawing of our own personal perception of the local landscape’s flora. It was really freeing to be able to experiment with different grades of charcoal and create art in the open air instead of at a desk in the classroom. This activity was the perfect introduction into the theme of the camp, which was experimenting with different art styles and techniques in nature and finding or creating a style of our own.
On the second day we did an ink painting of rocks across from the river, we also used nature for some of our materials, including water from the river, reeds and sticks. This style of artwork really challenged me because we couldn’t erase any lines we made on the paper. I think by the end of the experience, this was a positive aspect because it really allowed me to create art more freely, I just accepted that it was not going to look perfect and precise, so I really just had fun interpreting the landscape and experimenting with different techniques to create the final composition. In the end, I actually preferred it even more to my charcoal drawing, where we were given the option to erase and work back into areas.
The camp was designed to build and test our creative abilities with a lot of fun challenges. It was these challenges that helped me gain greater insight into myself and my own personal style of art making. We had two amazing camp leaders Mary and Leanne and a wonderful group of fellow artists who encouraged each other when we were struggling and stuck this made us feel like amazing artists. This kind of positivity and friendship within our group help make us all thrive.
I think art camp was an extremely valuable experience because our whole art class came away with new confidence in our art abilities. We saw the development of our own styles and had opportunity to build our skills and techniques working in and from nature.
Ellie Molla, Year 10
The Year 11 students' experience at Bundanon was similar, yet different from the Year 10’s. We attended the same charcoal workshop on the first afternoon, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the plein-air work; it was a fun break from classwork.
The second day was where our course differed, as we spent the morning working on a series of plein-air studies on the river bank of Pulpit Rock and the surrounding environment. Throughout the morning, we used felt-tip pens and water colour to create a small body of work that focused on zooming in and out of a subject, working with scale and in new styles and using different techniques to explore the same subject matter. This was a highly valuable experience and it gave us a grounding in developing a body of work, something that will be essential next year in the HSC.
Overall, the art camp experience was, again, a pleasure. The instructors and teachers gave us lots of creative freedom and everyone in Year 11 found the camp an enjoyable break from the classroom.
Oliver Stephens, Year 11
Year 10 Excursion to Cultural Centre, Blue Mountains Portraits and Gary Shinfield's Landscapes of Anxiety Exhibition
Year 10 Visual Arts students went to the Cultural Centre in Katoomba to see two exhibitions; ‘Prints of Anxiety’ by Gary Shinfield and Blue Mountains Portraits as we are studying painting and portraiture in class. We had the opportunity to meet the artists Gary Shinfield and hear about his process and inspiration for his very natural and beautiful works.
We also went to the Blue Mountains Portrait exhibition which showed the work of people of all ages from around the Blue Mountains who exhibited their portraits. There were a variety of mediums, sizes, styles and subject matter that people used in their portraits which was interesting to see and we were able to take inspiration from. Our trip to the Cultural Centre was interesting and educational and still very fun because we were able to see the variety of artworks that a variety of artists make.
Lily McKay, Year 10
Landscapes of Anxiety by artist Gary Shinfield is a printmaking exhibition that explores ideas based around three geographical forms that dominate landscapes of the Blue Mountains – plateau, escarpment and valley. These landforms are reinterpreted as formal, subjective and metaphoric images carrying memory of recent and future events; drought, fires, flooding and human presence. The plateau, a place of stability and human habitation; escarpment, referring to a fall and dramatic change in direction; and valley, a place of nurturing and healing. Thank you to Gary who was generous enough to give BMGS students an inspiring artist’s floor talk and convey his personal reflections on the importance of artist practice in responding to your environment.
Mrs Sally Herron
Head of Visual Arts
Blue Mountains Portraits 2021
Blue Mountains Portraits is the Cultural Centre’s annual celebration of the local community and its diverse members. This exhibition ran from January to March, with artwork portraying the unique people that make up the cultural fabric of the Blue Mountains and tell the stories behind the person. This year a selection of ten student works were exhibited by Blue Mountains Grammar School. Congratulations to all of the students below who’s work was selected and to Oliver Stephens who was selected by the public to win this year’s People’s choice Award receiving $250.00 an outstanding effort.
Artist 1: Quinn Blabey Year 8 Title of portrait: My Brother Jude.
This is a portrait of my Brother Jude. I chose to paint my brother looking down the camera lenses as we share a similar interest in film making. Jude is cool brother we always spending time with one another. Jude is starting High School in 2021 and is looking forward to building on his skill base and getting involved with Junior Production at Blue Mountains Grammar School.
Artist 2: Ruby Pierce Year 10 Title of portrait: ‘An Immediate Observer’.
My artwork ‘An Immediate Observer’ introduces the audience to ideas around observation and the complex yet effortless way it is incorporated in our everyday lives. To notice is an incredible thing. To be able to see and comprehend is a remarkable part of a human kinds existence and although we may not realise it, it is also a gift. My work being a self-portrait reflects this through my own simple examining stance and uses colours to almost showcase the vivid awareness of observation. The style of the work itself is inspired by Madrid based, visual artist and photographer Rocio Montoya who practices in a similar shape, form and colour technique as displayed in my work.
Artist 3: Charlie Mannes Year 8 Title of portrait: My Brother Seb.
I chose to paint a portrait of my brother Sebastian because he has been a role model to me ever since was very young. Seb has just finished his HSC at Blue Mountains Grammar School he is a hardworking student who is obsessed with soccer, loves spending time with his family and has always been supportive and encouraging to me.
Artist 4: Gracie Saunders Year 8 Title of portrait: Mother Earth.
I chose to paint my mum (Corinne Gwyther) because she inspires me to work hard and she is always positive. She supports me unconditionally in what I want to do and wants the best for us but also achieves her own goals at the same time. My Mum works with people with disabilities and shows compassion to everyone, this has shown me to always try my best to do good for others. She is kind and loving and I look up to her for that. She inspires me to shoot for my own goals and be the best that I can. When I get older I want to be more like her and have some of the same qualities that I admire in her. I think that I can adopt some of these qualities from my mum if I put others before me, always try my best and be positive.
Artist 5: Kalana Campbell – Fuller Year 11 Title of portrait: Selfie (Subject: Chloe Neale).
I painted this is portrait of my friend Chloe in a non-traditional manner as I wanted to capture how people focus a moment in time by using photography. This painting reflects the exact moment we came out of isolation after a term of doing schooling from home. This was a really memorable experience. I am interest in exploring how photography and painting makes us the view and remember important moments in our lives. Would this memory have such clarity for me without this image existing. Painting for me makes me feel more than a photograph, it conveys my inner experience in a way that is not captured by photography.
Artist 6: Oliver Stephens Year 10 Title of portrait: Self Portrait in Grey.
Self Portrait in Grey as a painting, was an exploration of what was possible in both the use of a specific colour palette and a realistic style of painting. The work was painted during the COVID lockdown earlier this year. The cold colour palette and style of painting employed create a sense of pseudo realism that is an expression of the seeming pseudo realism people lived in in the lockdown.
Artist 7: Jade Robilliard Year 8 Title of portrait: Self Portrait in Yellow
This oil painting is a self-portrait that I chose to paint at night time. The colour scheme represented by the yellow and blue helps create an emotional feel to the portrait that sums up how I feel at the end of the day. This is truthful portrait and this is how I see myself when I am alone.
Artist 8: Ella Russell Year 10 Title of portrait: Girl with a Pearl Earring.
This portrait is a self-portrait in the style of the painting ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ by Johannes Vermeer. In this painting I used acrylic paint on gesso covered paper to achieve my final work. By painting a series of artworks in the modern art movement, I was able to better understand the movement and develop my skills as an artist.
Artist 9: Elinor Lodewyke Year 8 Title of portrait: My Brother Tom.
I chose to paint my older brother Tom because he has always been a large influence in my life. Tom is a lot older than me and has always taken good care of me, I’ve spent all of my childhood having him to look up to and I will continue to throughout my life.
Artist 10: Mia Underwood Year 10 Title of portrait: Wonderlust.
This is a self-portrait inspired by Gustav Klimt’s portrait of his niece Helene Klimt 1893. I chose to appropriate this panting because of the composition and use of side profile in order to challenge myself and build my painting repertoire. I learnt that you should be bold with your brush strokes and build surface using layering of paint.