Since rolling out in second term this year our inspirational program coordinator, Therese, has been incredibly busy providing advice and guidance in the visual and media arts to assist teachers in small schools to deliver on arts curriculum requirements and explore new ways to connect the visual arts into other curriculum areas. The results of this work are exciting and compelling.

If you need assistance, guidance or ideas please call Therese here at Flying Arts Alliance. Please enjoy reading about some of Therese’s recent exploits. Case studies will be posted online on the FAA website shortly.

Classroom collaborations have now occurred in 5 schools in regional areas of the State with some wonderful outcomes and experiences for all involved.

Carmila

Carmila State School (south of Mackay) with Principal Karen Murphy has been looking at ‘What is Place?’ within P-6 Geography. We collaborated and planned a Visual Art day that explored this concept by creating backgrounds of aerial landscapes utilising Isaac Council aerial maps of Carmila and surrounds. Then using clay as medium, students created symbols of place aligned with their Geography unit connected to their local area, as well areas of study in Asia, Africa and Europe.

We focussed on texture, line and shape. These were to be fired and become part of the mobiles/wind chimes the students then made using materials specifically linked to ‘their place’ Carmila. Some creative problem solving and interesting sculptural forms were revealed! Students contributed a wide range of materials for this component including fishing tackle, sugar cane stalks and even some cattle bones! A great Geography/Visual arts Teacher/Artist collaboration.

Bellenden Ker

Bellenden Ker State School (south of Cairns) with Principal Baressa Frazer, were also looking at place with the focus being ’Why do we feel connected to a place?’. The students have also been creating symbols of place and researching the traditional owners and language around Bellenden Ker with research on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island links to place.

The students plan on using their created symbols to make their own shield designs on wood, to be displayed on their school wall with a traditional ‘Welcome’ in the local aboriginal language on the school gate. (Bellenden Ker SS have been inspired by the contemporary art work of Vernon Ah Kee and his aboriginal shield designs on Surfboards).

For the Artist collaboration visit students also explored aerial landscape backgrounds linked to their geography unit and using the Basketry technique of random weave created leaves symbolising the lush tropical are in which their school resides and incorporating plants and recycled materials- a tactile and visceral link to place!

Mt Molloy

Mt Molloy State School (near Mareeba in Nth Qld) with Gayle MacGregor, staff and students collaborated and planned a Visual Art focus on Economics and Art utilising their Stephanie Alexander School Kitchen Garden as a source of materials and inspiration. Students used their garden to create work that could be used to make items to sell at their monthly local market .They already have a range of products created and sold monthly by the students on a wonderful wooden cart, and packaging and promotion was a part of the collaborative conversation between Artist and teacher.

For the visual art immersion day students used plant matter and vegetables and learnt how to Eco Dye with natural mordants (the means of ‘fixing’ the colour), dyeing paper and fabric with the colours of nature. This is to be used as a prepared background to create a school calendar and cards with the students own drawings and Kitchen garden recipes as a feature.

During the Artist visit, the world of Botanical art was also explored with some references to Botanical art- drawing specimens from the Kitchen Garden.

Flying is is committed to collaborating with educators to assist in the delivery of arts rich experiences in the classroom. Our education program is delivered through our Touring Artists By Request Program, Connecting Arts with School Curriculum and the Small School Mentorship Program. Services include consultation, workshops residencies and school art projects.

Please call us if we can assist in any way.