Visual Arts @ Taylors Lakes Primary School

Our Grade Three  students constructed a character from our Australian Colonial days.They used a cardboard cone as the body and scrunched newspaper, wrapped in more paper as the head. Layers of white paper and tissue paper gave the skin colour and wool tops, sticker eyes and fabrics completed the person. Simple dioramas were made by folding and cutting A3 paper and adding collage to complete the scene.

On Tuesday 21st July we welcomed almost 30 local teachers to a “Book Week ” Workshop run  in our Art Room by  Art  supplier and Professional development provider “Zart” of Box Hill, Melbourne. Presenter Amy Green of Romsey, pictured above with her adorable  new son, read some of the delightful shortlisted books for the Australian Book Council Awards and then explained the steps in making some Art works to complement them. It was a very enjoyable and productive evening.

AEV Executive officer Marion Strong speaks to the Visual Arts teachers at the Auburn Sth Primary School Workshop.

Monkey Business by Grade Six students of Auburn Sth Primary School.

This work by the Workshop participants gives new meaning to the expression “to blow up”.The images were expanded many times and joined before adding colour. Inspired by Anthony Wood.

On Friday 17th July we drove across to Melbourne’s east to attend a workshop held by Art Education Victoria. We were pleased to have  had the opportunity to meet with fellow Visual Art Specialist teachers and to work with  such experienced teachers as Irene Lynch of Auburn South PS and Anthony Wood of St Francis Xavier PS. I am posting some of the photos I took in the Art Room and from Anthony’s workshop. We are very grateful to Marion Strong of AEV for organizing such a valuable opportunity for us.

These are just a few of the interesting Paper Mache bowls created by the Grade 6 classes.The above bowl wouldn’t stand so a wire mesh collar was made to sit it in and some feathery wool added as decoration.Many students decided to keep sweets in their bowls. The gloss made an enormous difference to their appearance. It was a product of our favourite Art Supplier, Zart, here in Melbourne.

For many years I had wanted to visit the Geelong Wool Museum and today I finally had the opportunity.It was very educational and I left there looking forward to visiting again soon. They have a wonderful scarf exhibition until July 19th and the Gallery shop had so much to offer I could easily have spent hours there.The guided tour was very worthwhile and a highlight was the demonstration showing how Axminster carpet is woven.

My recent trip around much of Australia  was a valuable learning experience. I could almost say it was a 55 day Course entitled “Discovering Australia”. Unlike our early explorers we travelled and stayed in relative luxury and have the advantage of hundreds of stunning photographs to remind us of our trip. Besides the natural beauty of our vast country highlights included a visit to Pro Hart’s Gallery in Broken Hill where we saw his famous Dragonfly painted on carpet and at Jack Absolom’s Gallery where I had my photo taken  with him in front  of his landscape painting entitled “The Breakaways”. Even small towns proudly display their communal artworks. Peterborough, in South Australia, had an appliqued panel in the foyer of their Town Hall.

We continue to learn long after leaving school. What we aim to do in our Visual Arts blog is to SHARE our learning.

Our Grade 5 and 6 classes recently made paper mache bowls. They were inspired by the work of Artist Juliet Bawden. They were constructed using a balloon as a mould and cardboard strips or egg carton pieces as ”feet” for the bowls. The  completed paper mache bowls were painted, glossed and decorated. These were displayed at our annual EXPO Night which was held during Education week here in Victoria. We were pleased that so many families visited  the Art Room and admired the student artwork.

One of the highlights of my recent travels was the visit to Australian artist Pro Hart’s gallery in Broken Hill, New South Wales. Kevin Charles, or as he was commonly known, Pro Hart( born 1928 and died 2006)  loved Rolls Royce cars and owned several, one of which he painted in his individual style. Also pictured is his lunch box from his mining days.

“Turtles” by Artist Don Garling was photographed in the foyer of our hotel, Gagudju Crocodile  Hotel in Kakadu National Park.

On March 16th I ventured around Australia, or most of it, and returned yesterday after travelling 15,950 Kilometres. To say it was the opportunity of a lifetime would not be exaggerating. I would like to go again some time though when fast Internet access becomes available throughout more of the country regions and it would be easy to keep a travel blog. I have some stunning photos and learnt so much history and geography that I will try to share some of that  on this blog before I return to school on May 18th.

 Salt Water Crocodiles are fed on the Jumping Crocodiles Cruise at Adelaide River.This old timer has only one whole leg, the others having been bitten off  by other crocs in fights over territory and croc girlfriends.

I wrote this post on April 2nd but didn’t publish it until now. The internet access I had hoped for on my trip just wasn’t available. Hopefully it will be next time.

“I’m in Western Australia on an ‘around Australia’ tour and this is the first chance I’ve had to post a comment since I left Melbourne 3 weeks ago. School finished for Victorian schools today but many other states will work right up until Easter. Staying with friends in Alexander Heights, Perth I was able to visit the  Alinjarra Primary  school and see the attractive Art Room and student work. The Art teacher , Val Brooks, was not working   but we peeped in and I was impressed with the organisation and the beautiful framed artwork in the school foyer.”

Yvonne Osborn, Visual Arts teacher at TLPS, (travelling Australia).