Artists in School 2010

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Bournda EEC has been working with Stage 3 students from Bega West, Quaama, Tathra and Wolumla Public Schools on an environmental sculpture project in 2010.

This was made possible by securing a grant through the Creative Education Partnerships: Artist in Schools from NSW Department of Education & Training, Arts NSW and The Australia Council for the Arts.

The goal of this project is for students to work with a talented and experienced ceramic artist who will inspire the students and give them the opportunity to create in clay.

The students involved are introduced to the medium of ceramics. Each student will produce a piece of work that will join other pieces to go in a collective sculpture to be displayed at each school.

The artist engaged for this project is Janna Ferris, a potter with considerable ceramic experience. She has participated in many solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally,

and has produced commissioned work for the Art Gallery of NSW. Janna has also been part time teaching at TAFE since 1988.

Janna sitting in front of her kiln.

The project will focus on the diverse range of plants in the Australian environment. Particular emphasis will be on local endemic species but attention to the environmental aspects of native plants will be investigated.

The students will be taken through the complete aspects of production of a clay article from the drawing phase, to conception of shape, size, texture, to addition of colour and then to the final making and firing

of each piece. Students will be working individually but with the collective goal of producing a combined artwork, which has to sit well together to reach the desired effect.

The class teacher/s participating will have the opportunity to observe and learn from the visiting artist and will be given the opportunity to discuss other class activities that could be pursued beyond this project.