Our Art Department continues to be a hive of activity despite moving to online teaching. Pupils have impressed us with their enthusiasm and engagement and have adapted well to working more independently, exploring their own ideas and being as creative as ever!
Our Lower Third have embarked on a different project each week with the underlying theme being to believe in your abilities and to discover how much fun can be had with the minimum of resources.
Our Upper Third pupils have been responding to the theme of ‘still life’ and have researched symbolism in still life paintings. They have thoughtfully built their own still life arrangement selecting objects that are personal and share their own experience of lockdown and the importance and value of different objects. Max started this detailed still life drawing (below) that explores his lockdown experience. The phone represents his ability to connect with others. The water bottle references the importance of exercise. Table tennis equipment links to family time. Pens symbolise the value of creativity in our current situation. Apple blossom denotes the continuing presence of nature, and a book represents learning.
Fourth Form have been honing their understanding of advertising and graphic design. They have been researching the impact of colour, font, imagery and tag lines. They are soon to design their own product and create an advertising campaign, including a short advert.
Lower Fifth have continued to impress us with their dedication to their drawings and are all doing well developing their coursework themes from home.
Our Upper Fifth have been working on personal projects exploring their own experience of lockdown and the impact that it has had on their environment. Pupils have explored family values and routines and how life has changed.
Lower Sixth have also been very proactive, finishing their essays that explore key themes and ideas relating to their coursework projects, whilst the Upper Sixth have been working on a range of fascinating projects as part of Brighton UP, our university preparation course. Current projects include a study of artistic responses to pandemics throughout history, the architecture of communal areas in hospitals and how interior design can help improve the well-being of COVID-19 patients in intensive care.
All our year groups have been busy producing brilliant work and we look forward to returning to the studios as soon as we can!
- Miss Muir (Director of Art & Photography)
