the absent body
What is Art to me? Art is taking something completely normal and moulding it into something entirely different and extraordinary. This year each student developed a variety of artworks portraying the Old Testament story of the Jewish heroine Judith slaying the Babylonian general Holofornes. During the first term we had to create oil paintings by only depicting abstracted forms to represent the parts of the tale. We learnt how to make nothing into something. Each student took a few ordinary objects, painted them on canvas and created a message that appropriated the Artemisia Gentileschi masterpiece from 1620.
limbs
In Terms 2-3, we moved on from oil painting inanimate objects to using digital photography and our own limbs (hands and feet mainly) to portray the ancient story. This taught us some new Photoshop skills as well as different ways to communicate a message to an audience. Year 10 Visual Arts has taught me how to take the boring and simple and turn it into something you can look at forever without losing interest, as you try and find the deeper meaning behind what the artist is trying to show you.
National Art School
Year 10 Visual Arts students were very excited to be amongst a select few highschool students to have the opportunity to experience tertiary education at the National Art School. The two day workshop focused on developing skills in ceramics and for most students it was the first time using the pottery wheel. Students were incredibly lucky to learn from Tania Rolland, an artist and university lecturer, who taught the group the fundamental techniques required to create bowls and cylinder vessels. At the end of the workshop some students had found the process of using the wheel meditative and others had found it frustrating to get a perfect form, however; all students were proud of the work they had produced.
The pots were bisque fired at the National Art School and once students returned to school they learnt about the various effects that can be achieved with glazes and underglazes. Together the class produced a range of pots that were diverse in form and colour. These works were later exhibited in the ‘CLAY SEPTEMBER’ exhibition.
creative process infographics
Year10 PDM class designed and produced infographics on the creative process. This process is one that both the PDM and Visual Arts class would be familiar with, influencing and structuring the shape our process would take. All of the final products differed in design, ranging in shapes and colours, but all thoroughly explained the paths the creative process takes. We created the infographics using Adobe Illustrator which helped us achieve the different affects desired. Our general consensus on the process begun with what we called, ‘the initial idea’, and then went through multiple ‘feedback’ and ‘editing’ stages and generally ended in a ‘final product’ stage. Overall, the infographics we produced were both aesthetically pleasing and informative, and I’m sure we will continue to follow the process will all other art we create.
clay coins
To create these clay coins students were required to combine skills in photography, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator as well as techniques for working with clay such as scgraffito. Each coin was developed to reflect aspects of the student’s identity and personal interests.
domestic realism
In the final term of Year 10 PDM, we have been exploring the concept of Domestic Realism and Lo-Fi photography. Through looking into famous photographers’ works, we were able to gather our own understanding of this topic. In photography, ‘Realism’ means to depict things “as they are”, without idealising or making abstract. With this in mind, we had a basis to create something that fulfils our understanding of Domestic Realism.
Download the catalogue HERE