6B have been having lots of fun learning about tone or value and how important this skill is to creating a realistic three-dimensional object successfully. We have also been learning the process of printmaking and about artist Margaret Preston.
After creating a tonal scale, we have moved on to printmaking over the past two weeks. Our inspirational artist has been Margaret Preston, a well-known Australian artist who lived between 1875 -1965. She loved the Australian flora and fauna, including these kinds of images in her artworks regularly. Through her work, she helped to create an Australian National Art style.
Preston advocated for the Australian Indigenous First Nation people at the time. She brought attention to Australian Aboriginal artworks and culture, hoping to gain respect for them which was not happening at this time in our history. Margaret Preston worked as a printmaker and painter mostly.
Our Year 6 Students have learnt how to create an Australian flora-inspired print and the techniques required for producing a good print. They have all gained excellent printmaking skills and an understanding of an artist's ‘practice’- how they make an art work from start to finish.
Soon 6B will be looking at Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art. The students have been fabulous, and I look forward to meeting and working with all the other Year 6 Classes this year.
For parents of Year 6 students, have a chat with your child about what they have learnt about Margaret Preston, drawing, printmaking and First Nation Australian art/culture when they come to their transition Visual Arts lessons in 2023. If you get a chance take your son or daughter to a local art gallery or to the new & older sections of the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. It would be really exciting for them to see.
Here are a few 'action shots' in our art classroom in the Senior School recently.
Mrs Genelle Griffin
Visual Arts Coordinator
