During the school year, students from Prep to Year 6 have been busy creating the range of artworks that were on display for the school’s biennial art show, which was open to the community on Friday, September 11 and Sunday, September 13.
Principal Christine Hyde said she was blown away by the diversity of the works on show when she walked through the exhibition before opening night.
“What I enjoyed most from getting the opportunity to walk around just before was the different types of arts here,” she said.
“There’s clay, there’s hand sewing, there’s different types of painting.
“It’s really nice for the kids to see the different types of arts and what they can put together. It’s not all just drawing on a page.”
Visual arts teacher Mel Kecskes’ dedication to teaching the students a range of different mediums was evident as you walked through the display.
For her, one of the best aspects of the show is seeing the students’ pride once they see the exhibition all set up.
“It was beautiful when the kids came in to get their lunch orders at lunch time. Their whole faces lit up,” Ms Kecskes said.
“They just beam. You can feel it. They’re so proud of themselves and they can’t wait to show their families what they’ve achieved.”
Not only does the show boost the students’ confidence, it also provides an opportunity for further learning, with Ms Kecskes encouraging her students to explain the techniques they used throughout the year to the loved ones they brought along.
“It gives them that extra experience and it shows that they’ve really been processing what our process has been and why,” she said.
“It’s another way they can learn, by explaining to someone else.”
Ms Hyde said the creative arts was an important focal point for the school.
“I think it’s really important, being a regional school, to show what’s in your back door,” she said.
“You don’t have to travel to the city to have these experiences.
“It’s really important that we bring the community together to show the skills that we have.”
She added that it provided students who didn’t always enjoy literacy, numeracy or sports an opportunity to flourish.
“This is the space where they can shine, and now they have this opportunity to shine,” she said.
Ms Hyde has praised Ms Kecskes for the work she has done throughout the year to ensure the show was a success, while Ms Kecskes has thanked those who contributed to the “team effort” behind the show.
Ms Hyde said she was impressed by what her small school had achieved.
“The amount of artwork that has been done in our small school of 123, you would not see this in a school of 360-plus. It is amazing,” she said.
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