Visual Art and Ceramics

Visual Art

A wide range of units are taught including: Exploring Visual Arts; Ceramics; Painting; Protest Art; Post-Modern Art; Contemporary Art Practice; Life Drawing; Printmaking and Sculpture. It is an energetic and popular course as it provides all students with the hands-on opportunity to develop their creative strengths and skills. Students are exposed to artist's work through theory, class discussions and excursions to major Galleries, both in Canberra and interstate, as well as visiting artists talking to students about their art practice.

The Visual Arts are also a means by which students are able to communicate, express and explore ideas, histories, narratives, information, knowledge, experiences, feelings and concepts. The Arts have a social, cultural and economic function and students are able to reflect on the society and time in which they were produced. Through the increased insight and thinking skills generated by employing creativity, imagination, planning, solving, experimenting and applying, students develop their ability to create artworks, document their thought processes, evaluate their work and that of other artists.

Ceramics

Ceramics explores a wide range of clay construction methods such as pinch, coil, slab and thrown forms. Students will draw knowledge from their study of contemporary artists work, investigate ancient influences, surface finishes, pattern and design to inspire them and expand upon their own creative practice. Students need to be prepared to work both with their teachers and independently to develop and refine skills to create finished works of art. Ceramics can be studied as a major or minor as part of the Visual Art course.