Art
To say it was a busy year in the Art department would
certainly be an understatement, but we have achieved
many wonderful things, both inside and outside the
classroom.
We introduced Visual Communication Design as a
VCE study for the first time. A small Year 11 class composed
of Trinity boys and Ruyton girls was the first to be involved
and it is hoped that in 2015, there will be a Year 12 Visual
Communication Design class held at Ruyton. The
introduction of this VCE subject has prompted a new Year 9
and 10 elective, Graphic Design, which will lead straight
into the VCE study.
All year levels have had an excursion or incursion, as we
continue to assist our girls to consolidate the learning
that occurs in the classroom. There is no better way to
understand the requirements of a Media, Product Design,
Studio Arts, Art or Visual Communication Design folio at
the VCE level than to view the best examples from schools
across Victoria in the
Season of Excellence
exhibitions run
by the National Gallery of Victoria and the Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Years 7 and
8 students engaged in
Responding to Art
tours at Heide
Museum of Modern Art, each with a different focus.
Year 7 explored a Fiona Hall exhibition called
Big Game
Hunting
and then looked at works focusing on the theme
of portraits. In the ensuing workshop the girls created their
own collaged portraits in response to these tours. Year 8
explored the medium of sculpture through the Heide
sculpture collection and an impressive ceramics exhibition
by Mr Stephen Benwell. This exhibition was used as the
starting point for the 3D structures that were created in
the workshops following the tours. The 9/10 Design
students were involved in a workshop with artist Ms Tania
di Beradino, exploring the use of markers as part of their
illustration folio. Years 9 and 10 Painting girls visited the
winter masterpieces exhibition,
Monet’s Garden.
Starting
with an introductory lecture, then a viewing of the
spectacular collection from the Musée Marmottan, Paris,
the girls finished with the
After Monet
workshop, where
they learned a few tricks to help them create their own
Monet masterpieces. The Year 11 Product Design girls visited
a fashion exhibition,
Hollywood Costume,
held at the
Australian Centre for the Moving Image.Who could forget
the famous evening dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
or the beautiful dress worn by Vivien
Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in
Gone with theWind?
As part
of the Digital Darkroom elective, the girls were escorted
through the streets and laneways of Melbourne by
Mrs Penne Ebbage and photographer Ms Penny Kakoulous.
They were given the opportunity to take photographs of
the Melbourne street art and landmarks and encouraged to
view things from a different perspective.
Over the course of the year competitions were organised
to give the girls opportunities to showcase their talent.
With the support of the enthusiastic parent committee,
ForART, the girls were invited to submit photos that could
be used to create a series of greeting cards. These cards will
be sold to the Ruyton community to raise funds to support
programmes, such as artists in residence, in both the Junior
and Senior Schools.We also received many creative,
colourful and imaginative ideas for the board artwork for
the 2014 Ruyton Fair. One of our Year 8 students was
selected as one of the final 10 entries fromVictoria in the
Years 7/8 age group for the Doodle 4 Google competition.
Our Art Society continued to grow under the guidance,
passion and enthusiasm of Year 12 chair, Sarah Lee. Sarah
organised activities and encouraged girls from all year
levels to get involved, in particular, making our newest
members of the Senior School, the Year 7 girls, feel very
welcome at each meeting. This year, for the first time,
girls who met the required criteria were presented with
Certificates of Appreciation for their involvement.
The annual Art Exhibition,
Muse
, showcased artwork from
Pre-Prep to Year 12 and the diversity and quality of the
artwork presented was impressive. Our special guest,
Dr Max Darby, spoke about the importance of an effective
Art education and the skills that can be developed as
a result: creative problem solving, collaborative decision
making and team work. In the words of Alexandra York,
author of
‘The Fourth ‘R’ in Education: Reading,Writing,
Arithmetic, and Art – Art educates the whole person as an
integrated individual. It educates the senses, it educates the
mind, and it educates the emotions. It educates the soul.’
Thanks are extended to all the Art staff for their hard
work, support and encouragement of the girls, both in their
learning and personal journeys, and their support of me
personally as the new Dean of Art this year. Thank you to
the ForART committee for their continued support of the
Art Department and special thanks to our technicians
who work hard behind the scenes to make sure we all look
good out on stage!
Ms Sara Valentino,
Dean of Art
Annual Report 2013
6
