From Wednesday to Friday last week, Year 11 and 12 students studying Visual Art and/or Creative Art made the trek to Adelaide for their Art Camp. Students utilised the time to engage with a wide range of arts, as well as create their own work to contribute to their assignments and inspire them in their own creations. 

A walk through the west end of Adelaide allowed students the opportunity to view street art, take photos, and videos. We visited MOD. (Museum of Design) and discussed the innovative ways gallery and museum exhibitions engage audiences. Students can then use these ideas in the way they present their own work. We spent time at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) and students recorded ideas about works that they found inspiring, connected to their own work, and that they will incorporate in folios. On Wednesday evening, students attended 'Grandmother's Songs', a performance by Vonda Last (singer) and the pocket string quartet, in celebration of reconciliation week. This provided students with the opportunity to consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and histories, as well as consider the way live art impacts an audience. 

On Thursday, students visited Himeji Garden, a Japanese garden gifted to Adelaide by its sister city, Himeji. This provided time for videography, photography, and consideration of aesthetics in artworks (looking at textures and composition). Students then participated in a full day workshop at the Adelaide Central School of Art. They completed warm up drawing exercises, drew portraits and figures, illustrated still life objects, and ended the day with a 1.5 hour drawing of a portrait, using charcoal. Thursday evening was spend exploring light photography with help from Nicola E. 

Friday morning featured a quick return to AGSA, to view the Ramsay Prize, a contemporary art exhibition, accompanied with guides who were able to explain the artist's ideas further. 

The camp was a fantastic opportunity for students to reinforce learning, gain further inspiration, and help them to continue working through ideas for both visual and creative art subjects. Thank you to the accompanying staff, Stephen Bosch and Nicola Ettridge, for your support. 

ART Teacher - Jackie McAllister