The Arts

ELISE ZIJAI

Head of Arts

Arts in August

This month we have been celebrating Arts in August. Throughout the month of August our students have been able to participate in a range of workshops, activities, projects and clubs that have allowed them to be bold, creative and thoughtful. We kicked off the month with the Instrumental Soiree, where our talented musicians showed off their skills from their instrumental lessons. This evening showcased students from all three schools as they played a range of instruments. Following the buzz of the Soiree, Junior School students had the opportunity to try out a range of instruments during the Immersion Incursion, with the instrumental teaching staff.

The event Make Your Mark saw students ‘making their mark’ on over-sized pottery vessels, through free-form painting and mark-making. These will form permanent records of this year’s Arts in August.

The Arts Department have run workshops and games during lunchtimes with the aim of getting all students involved in some way or another. Thank you to all of the students who have participated in Arts in August and to the staff who have used their special talents to engage our students in the Arts.

OG's Got Talent

Oakleigh Grammar’s Got Talent was held on the 9th of August, where all types of talents were welcomed for showcasing. From singing to acting to dancing to weight lifting! Middle and Senior School students owned the spotlight, as they were judged by our three class clown teachers, Mr Damatopoulos, Mr Sexton and Ms Bua. Congratulations to our students for being part of another year of OG’s Got Talent.

Shakespeare Showing

The month ends with Company 2021’s Shakespeare Showing, where our Year 9 drama students will showcase their skills and training with a series of scenes and monologues from a range of famous Shakespearean comical and dramatic pieces, led by Mr Felsinger.

Angel Wings Project

An amazing visual arts project took place in the VCD/Graphics Room called the Angel Wings Project, where students designed and decorated feathers with inspirational messages of peace and love. The feathers will form part of the large-scale installation- beautiful giant angel wings made by our very talented Ms Avzangelis herself. We look forward to this being a feature in our School’s gallery located in the Arts wing.

KANE FELSINGER

Performing Arts Teacher

Shakespearean Showing – Company 2021 

The students have immersed themselves in a number of training regimes this year in Term 1 and 2 to build their intellectual, emotional and physical fitness in preparation for their first showing, performing a selection of Shakespeare scenes for the public.

With a small imitate audience, the students are taking the stage for the first time, in a theatre-in-the-round scenario, testing their skills: vocally, artistically and spatially. I am in admiration of Company 2021, as they commence their three year training, in preparation for their final year at Oakleigh Grammar in 2022.

This training is not only designed to assist them in their skills as performers, but also to build their resilience, discipline and academia. I’d like to welcome you to the premiere performance of Company 2021!

TRACY SARROFF

Art Teacher

Year 10 Outreach Project

Over the last several weeks, our talented Year 10 Visual Arts students have been collaborating with Fronditha Care and HMSA, to educate the community on the topic of dementia, through the creation of a children’s book. Students have successfully created a series of illustrations in a manner that is engaging and informative. The children’s book is bilingual (English and Greek), which explains dementia through the eyes of a child.

As an International Baccalaureate World School, our aim is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people, who help create a better world through intercultural understanding and respect. This outreach project with Fronditha Care and HMSA has encouraged our students to become active and compassionate learners, in relation to building cultural and inter-generational awareness within their community. Students have been able to transfer their learning to real life contexts. They have valued not only the benefits achieved through their acquisition of skills and knowledge, but the rewarding insight their illustrations will provide others.

Guest speaker from Fronditha Care, Executive Manager Zoe Angeli, visited our School to explain the process and people involved in publishing the book, revealing the types of job roles and skills required. Opportunities generated from this project have been broad. Not only will students have their illustrations published and attributed, but they will also be shared on LinkedIn, social media, ANT Pacific TV and the Neos Kosmos newspaper. Alexander Barnard’s illustration has been selected for the campaign’s logo, and students will be interviewed on Radio 3XY and SBS in the coming weeks.

Fronditha Care is a not for profit organisation that provides home care, day care, and nursing home care to elderly people of Greek heritage across Melbourne. They will be holding a special event about dementia awareness at Oakleigh Grammar on September 22nd after morning mass, a day after World Alzheimer’s Day. Morning tea will be offered to those attending. Please contact Fronditha Care for more information.

A sample of testimonials written by our students of their experience:

I found it so interesting that this book challenges the normal story line of a children’s book, by talking about a difficult topic in a way that children can understand, and is fun to read. It was great to develop my skills using the studio process, from exploring and developing, to refining and then illustrating our final artworks, I gained many great skills which I can use in the future.

Alexander Barnard - Year 10

Taking part in illustrating a children’s book on such a difficult topic was such an amazing experience. I am very grateful to be a part of it. From this, I learned a little more about dementia than I already knew, and also how to explain such a hard topic to children. I loved being able to explore ideas that relate to both dementia and Greek culture. This will also be a great addition to my CV and future folios.

Eleni Pantelidis - Year 10

Working on this book has been a pleasure. Using a children’s book to cover a difficult subject was not easy. This book can inform and help children understand the difficulties of dementia. I learned and developed my drawing skills in cartoon style with the aim of engaging a child’s perspective. It was interesting.

Theodore Gavrilescu - Year 10

Being given this opportunity was such an amazing and unforgettable experience. It was great fun and really challenged me, and put my art skills to the test. Creating an illustration for a children’s book on such a difficult topic not only tested me, but my fellow classmates as well. It also gave me further understanding on dementia, and made me more open-minded.

Zoe Pandelias - Year 10