The Murray Bridge region’s heritage and people will be celebrated and commemorated as part of a Carclew Youth Arts Artist in Residence project at Murray Bridge North Schools.
Titled Big Journal – Big Draw, Carclew’s project will be delivered in partnership with Country Arts SA and Murray Bridge North Schools through the Creative Education Partnership program, funded by Arts SA.
More than 120 Year 4 and 5 students from Murray Bridge North Schools will take part - creating a series of artistic interpretations of what it means to live in Murray Bridge during four one-week blocks held between May and October.
“What makes this program so special is that it provides students with a unique opportunity to be involved in a visual arts exhibition of their own making,” said Program Manager, Leigh Mangin.
“The aim of Big Draw is to bring students in regional areas, who have limited access to such opportunities, into contact with a range of creative educational experiences and to work with professional artists.”
Artists James Parker and John Whitney will lead the project which will see students, teachers and participants from the broader school community learning new skills and using new forms to convey their knowledge and emotions through drawings.
Participating students will work alongside the artists, being guided, challenged, mentored and supported while they create artworks which will incorporate paper, card, pencil, charcoal, pen, ink, recycled materials and wood.
Students and artists will explore drawing techniques such as portraiture, sculpture, mapping, landscaping, collage and printmaking.
The works will be compiled to create a ‘Big Journal’, which will be exhibited, along with other works, from September 24 to October 9 at Murray Bridge Regional Gallery.
“Through this Artist in Residence Initiative, the program’s three partners have worked together to create the optimum environment for students, teachers and members of the broader school community to immerse themselves in the art of drawing,” Leigh said.
“The program gives students and teachers a chance to engage with professional artists and those participating will be involved in all stages of the project - from the concept, planning and design stages, through to research, the exhibition and evaluation.
“Participating in Big Draw will provide numerous opportunities for students to learn new skills, individually and together, which certainly has the potential to benefit their learning across the curriculum. Most importantly, the workshops will also be about having fun.”
Big Draw originated in the UK 10 years ago and has been embraced all over the world. Carclew Youth Arts delivered its first Big Draw during Come Out 2009 with 155 Year 5 – 7 students and their teachers participating. In 2010, Carclew will build on this highly successful model through an extended Artist Residency at Murray Bridge North Schools, in partnership with Country Arts SA.