Senior School 

Year 11 Visual Arts Bundanon Residency

On Sunday 23 May, Year 11 Visual Arts students had an early start as we departed from Sydney for a three-hour bus ride to Bundanon on the South Coast. Along the way, we were treated with a quick pit stop at Macca’s to ensure we had enough energy to engage in the art workshops scheduled for the rest of the day and evening. After a long, exciting bus trip, we finally arrived at the Bundanon Trust. The Trust is a collection of properties gifted to the Australian Government by artist Arthur Boyd. Before his death, he requested his Bundanon Homestead and Riversdale property be left for artists and students to stay at and immerse themselves in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Due to building works at Riversdale, we stayed in repurposed art studios near the Bundanon Homestead. Luckily, the Year 10 boys choosing art as an elective for Year 11 in 2022 will be able to stay next year in the newly built Riversdale educational space. 

Arriving in Bundanon at midday, we met two artists who assisted us in almost every workshop we participated in. As soon as we got off the bus, we got straight into the first workshop, walking down to the banks of the Shoalhaven River, and painting the unique landscape alongside a professional painter named, Andre. He took us through the step-by-step process of building up a painted surface. This workshop helped give the boys a different perspective on the process of creating a landscape painting, as well as a few handy tips about colour blocking, underpainting and even how to hold the brush. 

We began our second day with a tour of Arthur Boyd’s studio and family home. The boys got to see several pieces that Boyd made over his career and see his real studio, everything almost untouched since he passed away. We finished the tour with morning tea and headed off to our next workshop. Our next activity was watercolour painting using ‘Pulpit Rock’, a site in the near distance as our subject matter. Mary, one of the artists who assisted us throughout our stay, showed the students different types of mark-making and watercolour techniques. After lunch, we began a printmaking workshop using Gelli-plates covered in block printing ink.  We experimented with the printmaking process, arranging, and composing various natural materials (leaves, weeds, ferns, flowers) gathered from around the homestead. The aim was to make the print look aesthetically pleasing by considering size, shape, direction, and negative space. After completing multiple prints, we spent time cutting them up, layering and transforming them into a collage. The prints were cut down, recomposed, and organised into a harmonious and visually interesting work.

On the final morning, we began the last workshop early, with a walk up a mountain track, looking for a break in the bush where the rising sun shone through. The aim of the activity was to replicate the layers of trees, beams of light and bush scrub in charcoal. Finding a rocky clearing, the boys set up easels and worked to replicate the landscape in front of them making sure to capture the changing light and textures of the Australian bush. After the boys finished the final workshop, we had lunch and departed Bundanon heading home, ready for Parent/Teacher Interviews. It was an informative excursion that taught us a lot about the techniques and processes we will need to use when making our upcoming HSC body of work. 

Dimitri Poulos

Year 11 Visual Arts Student

In The Know with Careers

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

Inside this week’s edition of In the Know with Careers you will find information on the following: 

• University of Sydney – Medicine, Health and Economics degrees including degrees in the Dalyell Scholar stream
• Western Sydney University - Campus Tours and Open Day
• University of Technology Sydney - Engineering and IT faculty Campus Tours
• University of NSW - Co-op applications
• Australian Catholic University - ACU Guarantee program opening in June
• Bond University and University of Canberra - Early Offers
• UCAT Practice Tests
• Building apprenticeships with HIA
• Western Sydney Careers Expo on 24 June – 27 June and
• Scholarships available to students from tertiary institutions across Australia.

St Patrick’s College Careers Expo

Next Tuesday 8 June, all Year 10, 11 and 12 students will be attending the St Patrick’s College Careers Expo. There will be 24 exhibitors setting up stalls throughout the evening, including representatives from universities, colleges, TAFE, apprenticeship organisations and businesses. They will be providing advice, information, and resources to students on study and career options.  

The evening will be held in two sessions across three locations - the Gym, College Hall, and Robson Auditorium. 

• Session 1 will commence at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 7:20 p.m. 
  This session will be attended by all students in Berg, Coghlan and Crichton.
   
• Session 2 will commence at 7:30 p.m. and conclude at 8:20 p.m. 
  This session will be attended by all students in Hanrahan, Hickey and Rice.

One parent/carer is invited to attend however attendance by a parent is not compulsory. All parents attending are required to QR code sign in. 

Students will be required to sign an attendance sheet upon arrival and are required to wear their full winter uniform. Students are permitted to bring their mobile phone to take advantage of the opportunity to scan QR codes in order to sign up to newsletters or course information provided by organisations.

The organisations that will be attending include:

• Academy of Interactive Entertainment
• Academy of Music and Performing Arts
• Australian Catholic University
• Apprenticeship Careers Australia
• Apprenticeships R Us
• Australian College of Physical Education
• Australian Defence Force
• Australian Institute of Fitness
• Australian Institute of Music
• Bond University
• Education USA
• EP and T Global
• Macquarie University
• Southern Cross Catholic College
• Sydney Flight College
• TAFE NSW
• Universities Admission Centre (UAC)
• UCAT NIE
• University of New South Wales
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Sydney
• University of Technology Sydney
• UTS Sport and
• Western Sydney University.

I look forward to providing this opportunity to the boys and I hope they make the most of the evening. 

Joanne Cupac

Careers Advisor