Prep School Artwork Teaching all of Prep School from Reception to Prep 6 has been an amazing adventure this year. I often tell the children that I learn as much from them about art as they do from me, as curiosity and creativity are the natural state of childhood. Creativity is not just for the classroom, it is a way of life, a way of looking at the world with a sense of wonder, even found in ordinary things. ‘Making the ordinary extraordinary’ is one of our class mottos as well as ‘creating an adventure for the eye’ and ‘inspiration is everywhere’. Making unique art follows the realisation that the way we express ourselves and the art we create are as wonderfully individual and varied as we are. In a world of mass produced, generic “sameness“, creativity is supremely valuable both as an expression of human individuality and as a development of thinking in a creative way, no matter what challenges Life presents us with. Therefore the classroom becomes about life in all its forms both now and in the future as well as about Art. In Art children learn through creative experimentation and having fun, whether it is about planets and growing vegetables in Reception, appreciating and protecting our oceans in Years 1 and 2, the school values and those of different cultures in Years
P24
THE SHEBBEARIAN 2022
3 and 4, the science of colour and the wonders of the natural world in Year 5, or the expression of movement and the strength of character exhibited by Olympic athletes in Year 6. We have a board up in the art room with photographs of Olympic and Paralympic sports men and women with the qualities that can be seen in them and that can guide and inspire us. “Be confident, find your passion, persevere, be kind, be courageous, do your best, be strong, be focused, aim high, be determined, be yourself, support others, be happy, be ready, celebrate life”. I like to use recycled materials as often as possible, educating through example. Using reclaimed materials prompts discussions on repurposing waste which instils thoughtful possibilities of a circular economy that aims to reuse rather than discard. Encouraging thoughtfulness towards people we love came naturally as we made beautiful Christmas presents for family members, also taking the opportunity to experimentally print our own wrapping paper. Fantastic cards have been made for Christmas, Birthdays, Valentines, Mothers and Fathers Day, and as caring farewells for those leaving our Shebbear community. Individuality is encouraged through imaginative drawing, the use of many different techniques and materials and unrestricted use of colour pattern and texture. As artists we can decide how to express our vision and experience of the inner and outer world and choose the colours, patterns and compositions that reflect our interests and personality. It is very exciting to see that given one subject matter, a dozen children will tackle it in a dozen different ways if given the freedom to find their own unique creativity. I often ask the question “how many ways of painting any given subject matter are there?” Eventually we get to the answer “as
