Visual Arts 2023: Welcome!

‘My heart is in my work’

Alexander McQueen 2002.

Taking inspiration from; NGVs current major exhibition Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, contemporary Australian artist & photographer Gerwyn Davies and Naarm/Melbourne based Marrithiyel artist & designer Paul McCann, we are excited to begin the year exploring art and fashion design.

Life Drawing

In the studio we have swung into action and are exploring life drawing (drawing people from life). The children have been invited to choose an impromptu garment to inform a pose, and to take turns to model and draw.

The studio has had the delightful hum of an inherently hectic fashion-house, full of the fashion-savvy combined with the irrepressible spontaneity and playfulness of children.  An absolute joy!
 Our ’fashionistas’ have been enjoying raiding the dress-up box to create outfits that push the traditional boundaries of style, revealing their innate creativity, unique voices, humour and storytelling. ‘Dressers’ have spontaneously stepped up to support models to make quick wardrobe changes and styling.  Meanwhile the visual artists have been focused at their easels, or positioned front row of our ‘catwalk’ ready to capture the essence of the pose and sense of ‘je ne sais quoi.’

In our life drawing classes we have been exploring switching off preconceived ideas about what a drawing should look like and focusing on process over product, being free, being fluid and capturing the essence of the pose. We will continue exploring how it feels to take creative risks as opposed to playing it safe over the weeks.

 Well done to everyone for being SO full of enthusiasm in the studio and for being such great sports in kindly sharing your roles. It’s great to have you back !

Alicia