Visual Arts Perspective

On Wednesday, 14 February, Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts and Drama students ventured to Sydney to embark on three days of cultural immersion. 

Visual Arts students absorbed themselves in the world of art in the S.H. Ervin Gallery curated by Terence Maloon.  This survey exhibition examined the work of Ann Thomson, one of Australia’s leading artists who is known for her colourful, expressionistic paintings.  Following this, students engaged with the largest exhibition of Tacita Dean’s work in the southern hemisphere at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  Finally, the Art after Hours, night tour of the summer city sculptures and outdoor installations.  Light rain did not discourage our group from viewing the enormous eight metre spider Maman by Louise Bourgeois outside the Art Gallery of NSW, Almost once match sticks by Brett Whiteley, Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos by Yayoi Kusama, Francis Upritchard Here comes Everybody and Lindy Lee’s Secret World of a Starlight Ember glowing on the MCA forecourt at Circular Quay. 

Year 12 viewed the 2023 Band 6 HSC students works in ArtExpress, taking notes and gaining inspiration for their own Body of Work journey which has commenced since returning from the excursion. 

We visited the once studio and home, now gallery, of renowned Contemporary Australian artist Brett Whitely.  Students could sit on Whiteley’s lounge listen to his music collection, browse his art books and be in the presence of a huge body of his original art works.  Visual Art diaries entries were made and our many mandatory group photos were taken! 

The trip finished off with a last visit to the new Sydney Modern section of the AGNSW giving Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts students an insight to international artist, Kandinsky, with a hands-on experience involving a pigment paint workshop incorporating the alchemy and abstraction of the modernist artist, Desmond Lazaro, with our enthusiastic artists creating Suprematist inspired artworks.

 

A very big thank you to Year 11 and Year 12, our steps were many!  We loved navigating Sydney with you.  Thank you for helping your class members and sharing kindness and patience with one another.  We enjoyed talking about the live theatre experience, favourite artists, and themes along the way. 

A huge thank you is also extended to the teacher team who made this trip possible, Ms Marion Johnson, Mrs Rebecca Huett, Ms Niko Campbell-Ellis and Mr Jeremy Hobbes. 

Mrs Lyndall Laurie
Creative Arts Teacher

Drama Perspective

Year 11 and 12 Drama students had the amazing opportunity to spend three days in Sydney as part of the annual Senior Creative Arts excursion, immersing themselves in workshops and theatre.  On the first day students watched both programs of OnSTAGE which showcases outstanding HSC group performances and individual projects.  Performances varied in style from realism to absurdism and vaudeville, and examined themes such as the nature of time, the Mona Lisa and the role of women in literature.  Both programs demonstrated the varied and innovative approaches to making theatre and its potential to explore ideas in engaging and powerful ways.  Students also viewed a performance of Alone it Stands, by John Breen at The Ensemble Theatre.  This was a great production showcasing the talents of six actors transforming into 62 different characters. 

Later in the week students participated in three Drama workshops.  The group performance workshop at the Sydney Theatre Company provided students with an opportunity to explore improvisational methods as a means of developing a piece of theatre.  The monologue workshop at Belvoir Theatre provided students with some tools to bring characters to life to create believable and authentic performances.  Finally, the Australian Drama workshop at the Australian Theatre for Young People gave students insights into staging scenes and the use of space to enhance the dramatic meaning by exploring short scenes in the play The Removalist.  On the final day students also walked along the harbour foreshore and through the Botanical Gardens experiencing the great landmarks of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.  It was a pleasure accompanying Drama students and observing them embracing the opportunity of the Creative Arts excursion.  

Mrs Marion Johnson
Drama Teacher