2022 is going to be a great year at Kennedy in the Arts Learning Area. All areas are off to a fantastic start and students are embracing tasks, projects, and challenges presented to them. We are excited to share snippets from each department and what we have been up to.
An arts rich education develops individual creativity and self-expression. School based arts participation can increase learners’ confidence and motivation, thereby improving school attendance rates, academic outcomes, and share the well-being and life skills of teenagers and young adults.
DANCE
In Dance, our Year 12 students started off by learning the Set Solo for their practical exam, our Year 11 students are participating in contemporary workshops with local dance artist, April Vardy. Our lower school dance students have been learning dance techniques in styles relevant to their course and have begun choreographing their own original group dances utilising this knowledge. Overall, students have really enjoyed getting started in this dynamic, practical, and creative subject.
VISUAL ARTS
The Year 7 Visual Art students are busily navigating a multimedia taster unit, exploring drawing, painting, and ceramic media with a First Nations inspiration and stylistic influence. Our Year 8 Arts has explored the style, process, and media choices of a range of artists from 18th Century European (Haeckel, Blossfeldt) through to Dutch, Japanese, and Australian contemporary artists (Raku Inoue, Hoekstra and Tom Moore) in their sculptural insect body of work. You can come and see this during our Community Open Day.
The Year 11 and 12 General students are working hard investigating and experimenting with a wide range of media, designed to challenge and develop their art skills. Some of the skills, styles, and media explored include paint pouring, spray can art, whimsical mixed media work of Teesha Moore, impasto commentary of Ben Quilty, and the exquisite draughtsmanship of Brett Whiteley. A most fruitful start to the 2022 creative academic year.
DRAMA
Some exciting things are happening in our Drama department! Our Year 11 General Drama class started to work on their adaptation of Louis Nowra’s comedy ‘Cosi’. The students are enjoying the challenge of the script and the larger than life characters. We are aiming to perform this piece to the wider Year 11 students towards the end of the term
MUSIC
Our music students are full of energy and excited for what lies ahead this year. The Year 10 Specialist Music students have the opportunity to extend their performance skills both as a soloist and as part of an ensemble during class time. All students taking Music as an elective are warmly encouraged to take instrumental music lessons to enhance their skills and knowledge of their instrument. The Year 10 Music students are currently working on their first group performances and will perform for the rest of the class in Week 8. Our Year 11 and 12 ATAR and General Music students have the opportunity to rehearse in after-school bands as part of the practical component of their courses. Both year levels have enough students enrolled to create two different bands, and we are currently preparing for the Easter Service presentation which will be filmed over the next few weeks. This is an important aspect of both the General and ATAR Music courses, to encourage collaborative work between different musicians in an ensemble context, and to provide opportunities for personal and creative expression.
MEDIA/PHOTOGRAPHY
Our Animation, Media, Film-making, and Photography classes have jumped straight into a variety of tasks over the past few weeks with many already starting their second assessment. After being given an overview of what the year has in store for them, the majority have taken to the myriad activities with enthusiasm. We have observed diligence and creativity and look forward to seeing what they achieve over the year.
As you can see we have a thriving Arts Learning Area here a Kennedy Baptist College and it is a pleasure to see students embracing challenges and recognising the opportunities they have.
Mrs Carolyn MacDonald
Head of Arts Learning Area
