This year in Year 9 Visual Arts has been a true adventure, filled with opportunities to explore new skills and creative challenges. Students began with still life drawings, experimenting with graphite pencils and oil pastels to capture everyday objects with depth and expression. From there, they moved into the exciting world of wearable art, constructing life‑size garments that showcased bold ideas and inventive designs. Their journey continued with digital photography, where they focused on what defines suburban life, learning to frame and capture their surroundings in fresh and thought provoking ways.
At present, the class is immersed in the creation of ceramic houses, each designed with its own unique character. These houses are especially captivating as they can be illuminated from within by a candle or light, creating a warm and inviting glow. Students are learning to work with slip, a coloured liquid clay, and are developing incising techniques that allow the natural white clay to shine through, producing striking contrasts and intricate patterns.
We are deeply grateful for the guidance of our wonderful art assistant, Mrs Vella, whose expertise in ceramics has been invaluable. With a university degree in ceramics and many years of studio experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to the classroom. Her support is a true blessing to the Visual Arts faculty and enriches every project the students undertake.
Here are just a few of the imaginative ceramic houses Year 9 are bringing to life this term and a few quotes from the students.
“I have learned intricate techniques of ceramics and haver really enjoyed this experience”
“You need patience!”
“I love working with the clay and how to construct 3D works.”
“I loved creating my cat inspired clay house creature despite making changes along the way and turning it into a rabbit.”
“I simply love working with clay.”
“Everything we did this year was therapeutic and I really liked learning about artists and their work.”
Mrs Genelle Griffin
Visual Arts Coordinator
