Igniting a Passion for Visual Arts

The 2023 Year 9 elective cohort has made a promising start as they begin their specialist courses in the Visual Arts.

Year 9 students made their elective choices by following the path of their own interests and in turn have made a conscious choice to develop their passion for art. Henry Matisse said that creativity takes courage and it is certainly courageous to be a beginner in any discipline. In art, experimentation is intrinsic to developing one’s artistic skills. All the while, the product of your learning is visible and on display for all to see. Embracing the artistic process has been something that Year 9 students have proven they are willing to pursue, with fantastic results thus far. In the Visual Arts course, students have jumped into the fundamentals of drawing and painting, producing a creative interior scene of a sacred room inspired by Brett Whitely and Vincent Van Gogh. In Photographic and Digital Media, students have made their own pinhole cameras and created a series of artworks using the darkroom to create photograms. Visual Arts students were particularly inspired by a visit to the Art Gallery of NSW and have kindly contributed some of their experiences below.

From vibrant paintings and detailed sculptures to mind-blowing optical illusions, the Art Gallery of NSW has got it all. Every corner you turn, every step you take, you are amazed and in awe of the creative artists.

The first thing I saw when I set foot in the South Building struck my eyes in amazement. It was a fascinating sculpture coloured in metallic silver and vibrant hot pink. The gallery was split up into different sections of art and my favourite was the abstract section because I was forced to use my imagination which gave me some inspiration for artworks.

It was very interesting to compare the architecture of the two buildings as the North Building had you surrounded by modern and futuristic architecture.

I loved the different exhibitions throughout the building but my favourite was the sculpture section because it included impressive hand cut brass sculptures and a D.I.Y. artwork which enabled you to get your hands on and involved in creating an artwork made of thousands of clay spheres. I was also so inspired by an illusion created with multiple mirrors creating the effect that the artwork was never ending. The whole Gallery was an enjoyable experience as I received a tonne of inspiration. I learnt that one small artwork can hold a deep meaning.

By Duke Barnes (Year 9)

The Sydney Modern Gallery was an impressive panorama as the harbour met our gaze, glistening in our eyes. The building was new and fresh, and clearly full of inspiration. We entered the Ainsworth Family Gallery and were invited in by a sculpture intricately designed and made entirely from cardboard. It was like a massive tree house. It was amazing. We continued to walk through the gallery and I was astounded by one particular work called Guts. The walls were covered in mirrors. A mind boggling and seemingly endless experience of image. It was interesting to participate in a clay-making exhibition, featuring a very large, wide table with balls of clay in the middle. We sat bathing in the sunlight that seeped through the windows, rolling spheres of clay. With the hundreds of clay balls in the middle of the table, we were encouraged to imagine all the hands that made them.

By Abby Stace (Year 9)

Rikki Latella Acting Head of Visual Arts