Our Term 1 Exhibition celebrates the imagination and growth of our secondary artists through the first rotation of the year. Each year explored a distinct unit that encouraged experimentation, reflection, and personal expression; showing how art connects ideas, identity, and community.
Year 7 – Ceramics and Synthesis:
The young artists began the year by revisiting the elements of art and learning ceramic hand-building techniques. Their final sculptures combine personal and cultural symbols to communicate environmental concerns. These delicate forms stand as metaphors for the planet’s fragility, calling viewers to reflect on how our daily choices shape the world’s future.
Year 8 – Expressive Portraiture:
In this unit, students explored Expressionism as a means to convey emotion and identity. Investigating artists who challenged traditional portraiture, they experimented with color, line, and texture to create expressive self-portraits. Each artwork reveals a thoughtful connection between feeling, form, and personal narrative.
Year 9 – Surreal Subconscious:
Inspired by the world of dreams and the unconscious mind, students investigated Surrealism to uncover personal imagery and meaning. Through dream journaling, automatic drawing, and atmospheric watercolour, they created symbolic works that blur the line between imagination and reality.
Year 10 – Abstract Horizons:
Reinventing the tradition of landscape painting, the artists blended research, analysis, and experimentation. Using personal photographs as starting points, they abstracted form and color to express emotional responses to place. These final canvases reveal new perspectives and unique artistic voices.
Year 11 – Cultural Still Life:
In this exploration of identity and heritage, students used oil painting and still life composition to tell cultural stories. Their thoughtful arrangements of everyday condiments and symbolic objects invite reflection on how tradition, memory, and belonging intertwine through familiar forms.
Together, these works celebrate each student’s creative journey. From technical skill to personal meaning, the exhibition shows how young artists use their voices to interpret and reimagine the world around them. Ms. Mitchell and Mr. Lester are so proud of their students and want to extend this thanks to the amazing teaching assistants: Ms Thesanok and Ms Cabatuan. Without their support, our students would not have been able to come as far as they did.
Congratulations to our secondary artists, who we hope to see in IBDP Visual Art in the future!
