So much has happened in the world since I retired from teaching Visual Arts at Taylors Lakes Primary School. I returned  briefly to help the Grade 6 students of 2019 make a mosaic to celebrate their school’s 30th Birthday. Several classes cooperated to think of a design, cut and cement on the tiles and, when the work had been grouted, presented it to the School Principal at Graduation.

I officially retired from Teaching after 44 years in January 2019. I had many ideas about how I would spend my time. Not many of them have happened, until now. Tomorrow I will begin a celebratory mosaic with the Grade 6 students at my last school. Taylors Lakes Primary School opened on the first school day of 1989, so in 2019 the school will celebrate its 30th Birthday. We have been making a group mosaic each year for the past 14 years. This time I will be a visiting artist. Let’s hope this year’s mosaic will be the best ever.  Here are just a few examples of our mosaics depicting the  animals from the twelve years of the Chinese calendar.

I am about to take my last day of Grade 6 classes as I end my 44 year teaching career, Visual Arts since 1986. I am proud of my students for their creativity and dedication to their artwork over so many years. I congratulate the students whose work features above. There were many other great stuffed toys. I hope that the time taken to hand stitch these original creatures will be something they will remember for many years (like the stuffed felt donkey I made at Primary School, and that was back in the 1960s when families taught children to sew).  I say “farewell”  to my wonderful Grade six students and wish them every success for the future.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting Zart in Lexton Road Box Hill to do some Art shopping. Aiddie, who works there, had made these brilliant samples using Paper Magic Clay. Zart stocks this fantastic product, which feels like you are modelling with marshmallow, in white and a variety of colours. It doesn’t need firing or baking and may be coloured using felt markers for more variation in colour or for  extra detail. I look forward to seeing what our creative Grade 6 students make with it today.

Last Friday I used a Professional Practice Day to visit three art galleries. First the wonderful Tin Shed Arts Gallery in Malmsbury, secondly the Castlemaine Art Museum and lastly, the Bendigo Art Gallery. All three offered the inspiration I sought for planning Visual Arts topics for Term 4. I am grateful to my school and to the Education Department for providing this great opportunity. I have posted only a few of the 61 images I have from the day. Which is your favourite?

Grade 6 students have been weaving on cardboard looms over the last few weeks. They used thick cotton for the warp threads and a variety of different threads for the weft. While some students found weaving difficult I heard the word therapeutic used to explain the feelings weaving invoked. Congratulations to all the students who persevered to complete a piece for display.

Mystical Cat by Ava of Grade 6PM

Two Minds by Kadin of Grade 6RM

Congratulations to all our Grade Six students who put so much work into designing and making their paper mache masks this year. These are only a few of over 100 different  original designs. Some masks were made to be worn and many were decorative, for display only.  Which two would you choose as your favorites?

Today our Grade 6 students will be painting their paper mache masks. I am posting these examples from previous years to inspire those who have not already decided upon their original designs. Hopefully this will be our best year for masks to help celebrate our Visual Arts Blog’s 10th Birthday.

Our Visual Arts Blog is celebrating its 10th Birthday this month. It’s Education Week here in Victoria Australia so it seems apt to reflect on the power of blogging in teaching and learning. I am proud of all of our students, past and present, and congratulate them for their creativity and the enormous effort they put into their Visual Arts work. I also thank my fellow Art Teachers, Mrs Vella and Mrs Klepkas, and Taylors Lakes Primary School staff members for their support.
Yvonne Osborn – Visual Arts Specialist and keen blogger. 

In celebration of our Visual Arts Blog’s 10th Birthday in May I have posted some photos which relate to artworks I have seen on my travels over the past fifteen years. I ask students, former students, parents and teachers to search through their photos of memorable artworks and contribute their favourite towards a photo book for our Art Room. Stay tuned for more instructions.